Sink Or Swim
by Captaintjf
Summary: OC Mackenzie "Mac" Grayson is a tale section survivor. This is her story. Eventually Sayid/her. No Shannon and Sayid and no Shannon Death. Please review
1. Chapter 1

Sink Or Swim

Disclaimer: I don't own Lost, or the characters. I am merely borrowing them. Mackenzie Grayson is an OC and a Taily. Shannon is not shot, but is not with Sayid. Nathan survives. Sayid/OC eventually

The water filled the lungs of Lt. Commander Mackenzie Grayson as she fought to push herself up. She quickly swam to shore, seeing others already on the beach, or swimming to the beach, or unfortunately, floating in the water, dead. Her mind quickly took in the situation, screaming plane crash. She ran over to where a man was lying in pain.

"Easy," she said bending down next to the man.

""OW! Ow, my leg, is it bad?" the man questioned.

Mac didn't have a chance to respond before a blonde woman came up to her and the man.

"What's your name?""Donald," he answered.

"No, it's not that bad. I broke my leg skiing up at Stowe in Vermont. I was on this run - going pretty fast - I was racing this cute ski patrol guy. I went off this mogul, lost my edge and, bam!" she said, snapping his leg. "I snapped my left leg. Now that - that was bad."

Mac looked at the man, Donald, who passed out.

"You a doctor?" she asked the other woman.

"A year of med school before I dropped out. I'm a clinical psychologist," she answered.

"Well, that was impressive," Mac answered, turning her head seeing a man running out of the jungle yelling for help. She started to get up, but felt the other woman's hand on her arm.

"You're bleeding," she said. "I'm Libby," she said getting up, pushing the hair aside. "That's pretty deep," she told her.

"Mackenzie," she answered, flinching as she looked around.

"We need to stop the bleeding," Libby informed her.

"Here," she said ripping a sleeve of her long sleeve shirt handing it to her. "Please don't start telling me a story on how you bumped your head and then snap my neck," Mac told her.

Libby laughed. "I wouldn't dare, Mackenzie," she said dipping it into the water.

"Mac," she answered.

"So Mac, what do you do in the real world?" Libby asked.

"I'm a Lt. Commander in the United States Army," Mac answered.

"Impressive, you should be able to handle yourself out here," Libby said. "This is going to hurt," Libby told her, bringing the cloth to the other woman's head.

"Ouch," Mac responded, flinching.

"I warned you," Libby said.

"Yeah, you did, but it didn't make it hurt less," she answered, laughing a little.

"We need to wrap this cloth around your head, hope it stops bleeding by itself," she said, doing it.

"Thanks," Mac said standing up looking around, taking a breath. "I'll be fine, go see how the others are," she instructed.

As Libby walked away, she looked out into the ocean, taking a breath.

Mac sat by herself for a little while, turning her head at the sight of the man, who'd run out into the jungle asking for help and the woman, who'd ran to help him, trying, unsuccessfully, to start a fire with sticks. She took a breath, "Don't get involved," she told herself, but her army survival mood kicked in.

Standing up, she walked over. "Maybe I can help?" she offered.

The other woman looked up. "You a grown up Girl Scout?" she asked.

"In a way, Lt. Commander in the United States army," she said, bending down. "May I?" she asked the man.

"Be my guest," he said, handing the sticks to her. "Goodwin," he said introducing himself to her.

"Mackenzie, Mac please," she said, putting one stick down, grabbing another dryer one.

"Ana Lucia," the other woman introduced. "So do you do that a lot in the Army?"

"Survival training, once a year," she said, getting sparks.

"Glad you were on the plane," Goodwin said, watching.

"Well, thanks, I guess I just have the same bad luck as the rest of you," Mac answered. "There," she said standing up, getting dizzy.

Ana Lucia stood grabbing her arm. "You lost a lot of blood due to that head wound, sit," she instructed helping her. "You need to drink some water and rest for a bit."

Mac nodded. "Thanks," she said, taking a breath, watching the water.

Mac had just drifted off to sleep when she heard noises, and sat up.

"What was that?" Anna asked.

"Over here," Goodwin said.

"Libby watch the kids," Ana instructed, as she took after Goodwin, with Mac following her.

Mac stopped seeing two dead bodies. "What happened?" she asked looking up at Eco, who picked up a big rock and proceeded to show them how they were killed. Mac saw the guilt in his eyes, and she took a breath.

"No wallet, no cell phone, no keys. Nothing." Ana said bending down examining the bodies.''

A young man came to them. "Three people are missing," he said.

"It's Nathan, correct?" Mac asked. When she saw him nod, she asked, "Who?"

"The blonde guy, the curly haired guy, and the German guy helping with the injured," he responded.

"Did you see anything?" Ana asked.

"No, I didn't," Nathan answered.

"Where did they come from? How many of them were they?" Ana asked.

"Ana, he said he didn't see anything," Mac said.

"Who are these people?" Nathan asked, looking down at the dead bodies.

"I don't know, there out here in the jungle with no shoes and no wallets, nothing in their pockets and no labels on their clothing. They were here before us," Ana answered. "We need to get off the beach, find a safer place."

"I agree, we're too vulnerable," Mac said, her army training coming in.

"We've got kids and people that are seriously hurt. Where are we going to go? How are we going to move them? What about the signal fire? How are we going to get rescued if we're off the beach?" Nathan asked.

"Nathan's right," Goodwin said.

"They have satellites - the black box - we don't need a fire for them to find us," Ana responded.

"Yes, we do. Before the crash, the pilot said we'd lost communication; we were turning back. We were flying for two hours in the wrong direction. They don't know where to look," Cindy said.

Ana and Mac looked at each other, knowing everyone had good points but Mac still couldn't get that bad feeling out of her stomach.

Day 12:

Mac felt something slip around her neck, her hand grabbing at a rock, hitting the person on the head.

"Help us," Emma screamed.

"They took the kids!" Libby screamed. They took Jim! And Eli! Nancy's gone! They're gone!"

Ana ran over to the one that Mac had subdued grabbing her. "Wake up! Which way did they go? Tell me!"

"She's dead," Goodwin said, as she starts going through her pockets. "What are you doing?"

"Is this a knife?" Ana asked, taking the knife out of the woman's pocket.

"A Swiss Army Knife," Mac said, taking it.

Ana took a piece of paper off the body opening it.

"What is it?" Mac asked.

"It's a list of names, nine of us," Ana said.

Ana looked at Eko. "Nothing? They drag 9 people into the jungle - the kids - and there's no sign of them? Now's not a good time to talk? What needs to happen to make you say something?"

"Ana, calm down, let's figure this out." Mac said

"Calm down? Let's figure this out? Here are the names of every single person they took - all 9 of them - what they were wearing - what they look like - one of them had a list of us. You were on that list, Mac," Ana told her.

"They could have gotten our names from the people they already took," Goodwin said.

"Nobody knew anybody's names the first night," Ana responded.

"Maybe they're watching us?"

"You were gone for 2 hours yesterday," Ana said.

"What?" Nathan asked

"Where were you?" she demanded.

"I was going to the bathroom," Nathan responded.

"Hey, stop! We're all scared. Let's not get paranoid here. We don't know anything," Goodwin said.

"He's right. Why would they try to infiltrate us - that's crazy," Bernard said

"Not really crazy as it may sound," Mac answered. "Spies infiltrate into groups all the time. That first day, it was insane, someone could have snuck into the group, we wouldn't have known."

"Well, whoever they are they know we are here. We need to leave this beach," Libby said.

"Goodwin, you said we needed to keep the signal fire burning," Ana said.

"I think it's time we let it go out," Goodwin responded.

Day 15:

"Five minutes," Ana said, stopping at a stream.

"We've been walking for 3 days straight, Ana," Bernard said.

"And you're still here. 5 minutes," she repeated.

"Ana, this is perfect cover. We have rocks to our back, fresh water, and lots of fruit trees," Mac said.

Ana looked at her, "Fine, okay. This'll work."

Day 19

"What are you doing?" Nathan asked

"You and I are going to have little talk, Nathan," Ana told him

"You, let me out of here right now. You let me out. You let me out!" Nathan screamed.

"What are you doing?" Mac asked, coming over.

"He wasn't on the plane," Ana said.

"What?" Bernard asked.

"We were in the air for 2 hours - I didn't see him once - not once," Ana said.

"Ana, you can't possibly remember everyone on the plane," Mac said.

"No, I didn't see him either. I'm pretty good with faces, you know, with the passengers," Cindy said.

"You're not all serious," Goodwin said.

"He never talks about himself, Nathan. Every time I ask him anything, he just dodges," Libby said.

"I don't talk about myself either, and that sure the hell doesn't make me one of them," Mac said.

"No, if he really were one of them why would he still be here?" Bernard asked

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Ana responded.

"Will you let me out, Ana?" Nathan asked.

"You got a problem with this?" Ana asked Eko.

"I do," Mac said.

"I wasn't asking you," Ana told her.

"What are you doing? Let me out," Nathan said.

Day 23:

"Where are the kids, Nathan? Where are the kids? Not talking to me anymore? What's that behind you? Get up!" Anna said. "I said get up!" she asked spotting banana peels. "Who gave him food?" she demanded.

"What happened?" Cindy asked.

"I'm trying to find out what they did to us. And you're taking care of him?" She asked Bernard.

"I didn't do anything. And what if you're wrong, Ana? We don't even know if there is a spy," he said.

"Whose idea was it to stay at the beach where they could pick us off one by one - his - Nathan's," Ana said.

"Well, they haven't come since you put him in there," Libby said.

Mac shot Libby a glare. "They haven't come since we moved," she said standing up. "I gave him the banana's," she said. Mac walked down to the river taking a drink, hearing someone come up behind her. "Ana," she said, not turning around.

"What the hell were you thinking? I'm trying to save our lives and you're giving food to the enemy," Ana said.

Mac turned around and looked at her. "It's not Nathan."

"How do you know?" Ana questioned in a demanding voice.

"I know," Mac responded.

"I want to know how you know! Is it because you're the one?"

Mac shook her head. "Yeah Ana, I knocked myself in the head with a rock, jumped into the ocean and hoped to God I wouldn't bleed to death," she said. "And I even went to the trouble of making dog tags for myself, just to be authentic," Mac said pulling them out of her shirt.

"You said yourself you don't speak about yourself," Ana said.

"You know why I don't Ana? Fourteen years of military intelligence training. I learn more by watching and listening then I do talking," she said. "Nathan isn't the infiltrator," Mac informed her.

"You know who it is though," Ana said.

"I'm pretty sure I do," she responded.

"No, I'm not going to tell you that," Mac responded. "I need you trust me, and do what I say, just this once. If we let this cause tension and stress, then they win."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Get Nathan out of the pit, later this evening. Don't tell anyone you're doing it, and I'm not saying to let him go, I know better," Mac instructed.

"And what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to be waiting," Mac simply said. Mac went back to the others, and waited until it was near dark before making her way to the pit. She let her eyes adjust to the dark hearing someone approaching the pit, then heard Goodwin's voice saying grab the rope. "Goodwin," she said coming closer.

"Mac, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I think the better question is what are you doing here and why you are here?" Mac asked.

"I was just going to let Nathan go, you know Ana's wrong about him," he said.

"Yeah, I know that's why I convinced her to let him out earlier today," Mac said.

"Well that's good," Goodwin said starting to leave.

"I know who the infiltrator is, though. It's you," Mac said.

"What? You're as crazy as Ana," Goodwin said.

"Oh really? That day you came out of the woods, you were dry as a bone. The rest of us, except for Bernard who was in a tree, were soaked to the bone. The only way you could have come from the woods were if you weren't on that plane. Where are the kids?" she asked.

Goodwin looked at her, the rope in his hands, charging at her. "You should have become one of us; you would have had a better life."

"No thanks, I'm ok with who I am," she said, tripping him. "Where are the kids?"

"In a better place," Goodwin answered, getting up charging at her again.

"Are they dead?" she asked.

"No," he answered, hitting her, making her fall backwards. Mac kicked him square into the chest, kicking him into the pit.

"Now that's what I call impressive," Libby said, coming out of the woods with the rest of them.

Mac climbed down into the pit, bending down. "His neck is broken," she said.

"How did you know?" Ana asked as she climbed up.

"Like I told you, I knew," she said. "We need to move. And you owe Nathan apologies."

"Right, sorry Nathan," Ana said, untying him.

"It's ok, you were trying to protect us," he answered.

Day 27

Mac stops at a door, looking at it.

"What is it?" Cindy asks.

"I don't know - some sort of bunker," Ana responded.

"Do you think it's theirs?" Libby asked.

Eko goes toward the door.

"What are you doing?" Ana asks.

They watch as Eko opens the door.

"What is this place?" Libby asks.

"It looks like some sort of storage facility," Mac answered, turning on the lights.

"Hey, come over here," Ana said, finding a chest and opening it as something falls out. "What was that?" she asked pulling out a bible and blankets.

"What else in here?" Bernard asks.

"It's a glass eye," Libby said, holding up the thing that fell.

"Look at this. It's a radio," Bernard said. "Hello, can anybody here me?"

"We'll need to go to higher ground or at least outside," Mac says.

Day 41:

Bernard goes outside trying the radio again. "Is anyone there?"

"Why are you wasting your time with that thing? There's no signal," Ana said.

" I only turn it on a couple minutes a day. It really doesn't..." Bernard said.

"Hello. Hello, anybody out there? Mayday. Mayday," a voice said from the radio

"Is there someone there?" Bernard asked.

"Hello! Hello!" came the other voice again.

"Who is that? Oh my god!" Cindy exclaimed.

"Can you hear me?" the voice asked again.

Mac reaches for the radio. "Repeat transmission again."

"Hello. We're survivors of the crash of Oceanic flight 815! Please copy!" the voice said.

"We're the survivors of flight 815," Mac responded.

Ana takes the radio.

"Hey," Mac said.

"No, wait a minute. What are you doing?" Bernard asked.

"It's them. It's them. They're trying to draw us out - trying to find us," Ana said turning off the radio.

"No, he said 815; he said flight 815," Bernard said.

"They know our flight number because Goodwin knew our flight number," Ana said.

"What if there really are other survivors out there?" Bernard said.

"There are no survivors," Ana said.

"How can you be so certain? If we survived, it's possible others did too," Mac responded.

"There are no survivors, this is our life now. Get used to it," Ana said leaving.

Day 45:

Cindy runs into camp yelling for Ana and Mac to come with her that they found someone on the beach. Everyone runs following them.

Ana blindfolds him and ties him to a tree.

"Who are you? Where are you from?" Eko demands

The man starts speaking Korean.

"He doesn't even speak English," Bernard says.

"That doesn't mean anything," Ana said.

"Ana, we found him in the water," Cindy said.

"He has a broken hand cuff on his wrist," Ana said, watching Mac go over to him. "What are you doing?"

"Talking to him," Mac responded.

"He doesn't speak English," Libby said.

"Good thing I speak Korean, then," Mac said. "Who are you?" she asked in Korean.

The man looks at her. "How do you know Korean?" he asked.

"I spent three years there, one of my first assignments in the Army," she responded. "Who are you?"

"Survivor, Flight 815," he responded.

Mac stood up going back to the group. "He says he's a survivor from our flight."

"He's lying," Ana said.

"I don't think he's a threat," Eko said.

"He's running!" Ana Lucia said.

"Michael, Sawyer!" the man yells.

"Jin!" The blond says

"Others! Others! Others!" Jin said pointing.

Mac shook her head as she watched them capture them and put them in the pit.

"Ana, wait, what if you're wrong, what if they are survivors," Mac said.

"Hit me," Ana said.

"Hit you?" Mac said, looking at Eko.

"You think they're okay? Let's find out. Hit me," Ana said, as Eko hit her.

Day 47:

Mac walked with the group going to the other camp. "Stop," she said as Sawyer dropped.

"Leave him," Ana instructed.

"We're not leaving him," Mac said. "Get me something to make a stretcher for him, I'll help you carry him," she said to Michael.

Mac had been helping carry him on the stretcher, when they heard the whispers. "Cindy! She's gone," Mac said.

"We need to keep moving," Eko said as they walked.

"Our camp," Jin said, pointing as everyone turned.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sink or Swim **

Reminder: No Shannon/Sayid and no Shannon Death

Mac took a breath looking at her fellow survivors as the beach survivors turned and notice them. "Why do I feel like we're walking into a tightly knit family and we're the black sheep?"

"Because we are," Ana said.

"Rose…." Bernard said, walking to a black woman hugging and kissing her, while Jin ran to a Korean woman speaking to her.

"What are they saying?" Ana asked.

Mac looked at Ana. "It's private," she said. "Michael, we need the doctor you said we had for your friend."

"Right," Michael answered. "Someone get Jack!" he yelled.

"I'll take him," Eko said, picking the blonde man up and putting him on his back.

"Now what?" Libby asked, looking at the other two women.

"Find a place to make camp," Ana commanded.

"I think I see where we can get clothes," Mac said, pointing to a pile of suitcases.

Bernard came over with Rose. "This is my wife Rose," he introduced, holding her in a hug. "Rose, this is Libby, Mackenzie, Nathan and Ana Lucia."

"It's nice to meet you," she said, extending her hands shaking each of them.

"It's nice to meet you too," Libby said with a smile.

"It's Mac, and it's nice to meet you too," Mac said, looking at the group.

"I guess we should start finding spots," Nathan suggested.

"You guys look like you could use a change of clothing, and a shower," Rose said.

"Shower?" Libby and Mac said in unison.

"I thought that might get your attention. There's a hatch, it's where they took Sawyer. There's a shower," Rose said. "Shannon, come over here for a minute."

Mac glanced as a blonde woman wearing a skirt came over. "What is it Rose?"

"Can you show them where the bags are?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, whatever," Shannon said. "Come on."

Mac glanced at the others, noticing Nathan was the fastest to follow, she sighed, following the young woman.

_Sixteen year old Mackenzie zipped up her sweater, looking around the judge's quarters and at the social worker sitting next to her. Mac sighed as the social worker pulled her up as the judge entered._

"_Miss Grayson, do you know why I wanted to see you?" the judge asked sitting down, nodding for them to do the same._

"_I'm not a mind reader," she said, crossing her arms._

"_Mackenzie," the social worker warned._

_The judge held up his hand. "It's ok, Miss Jackson, she's not the first troubled, rebellious teen I've had in my court, and unfortunately won't be the last. But, I think Miss Grayson is one of those we can put on the right track."_

"_Whatever," Mac said. "Assign me a couple weeks in Juvi, and get it over with."_

"_How long have you been taking care of your younger sisters?" the judge questioned._

"_What?" the social worker asked, surprised._

"_Teenagers usually steal expensive clothing, jewelry, things for themselves. But this time, and the two priors, have been food, and sneakers too small for her. I'm thinking maybe for an eight year old, like her sister, Taylor. Am I correct, Miss Grayson?" the judge asked._

_Mac glanced up. "Yeah."_

"_How long?" the judge asked._

"_Two years," she simply said. "And I don't want to go into the foster system, and I don't want them in it either. Taylor has special needs and I've seen where the courts put kids like her. Jordan and I have it covered."_

"_What happened to your mother?" the social worker asked. "She answers every time I call."_

_Mac looked at her, making her voice lower. "Yes Mrs. Raymond, the girls are doing well."_

"_You?" she asked._

"_Miss Grayson is a very smart young woman who is obviously very self sufficient, and very smart. I am sure we can find a way to challenge that creativity while keeping her and her sisters together," the judge said. "You have the qualities of a leader, Miss Mackenzie."_

"_Yeah whatever," Mac answered._

_The judge took a card out. "This is a number of a recruiter friend of mine in the Army. Give him a call someday, I think you will be surprised at what you can do, legally, when you put your mind to it."_

_Mac looked at it reading the name Sgt. Sam Austen. "Yeah, ok, whatever," she said putting the card in her pocket._

Mac found her duffel bag, moving luggage off of it. "What, no one wanted to wear camouflage?" she mumbled to herself. She struggled with a heavy bag. "And I thought I packed heavy."

"Here," she heard a voice behind her, picking up the suitcase throwing it aside.

Mac picked up her duffle bag turning. "Thanks."

The man nodded. "You are welcome. Yours?" he asked nodding to the bag.

Mac nodded putting it on her back. "Yeah, and if I'm lucky my boots are too small for anyone else and are still in there. I'm Mackenzie Grayson, Mac," she said, extending her hand.

"Sayid Jarrah," he said, shaking it. "Rank?"

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Your rank," he said. "Most people don't pack duffle bags unless they are in the military."

"I was a Major, Army, until two years ago when I left," she said. "You're from the Middle East aren't you?"

"Iraq," he said. "I was in the Republican guard," he said, as Libby walked up.

"Mac, oh I'm sorry to interrupt," she said.

"Sayid Jarrah, Libby Smith," Mac introduced. "Find your bag?"

"Yeah, what's left of it. They're using the shower to cool Sawyer off," she said.

"I'll leave you two alone," Sayid said, promptly leaving.

"He's kinda cute," Libby said.

"Not my type," she said. "I'm going to go check and see how Sawyer is."

"He's not your responsibility anymore," Ana said, joining them.

"Ana, would you stop with this _it's them against us_. It's us against the others, all of us," Mac said, leaving, walking entering the hatch passing another woman. "How's the patient?" she asked, walking up, putting her duffle bag down.

Jack looked up. "High fever. You're with the guy who brought Sawyer in?"

"Yeah, we're survivors from the tail section," she said sitting down. "Anything I can do?"

"You a doctor?" Jack asked.

"No, just emergency medical training from the army," she said. "I'm Mackenzie

Grayson, Mac," she said.

"Jack Shephard. What the hell happened out there?" he demanded.

"Sawyer had been shot already when he and the other two came upon us. They thought we were the Others, and we thought the same," she said.

"You said two others, there were four that left," Jack pointed out.

"Walt, Michael's son right?" Mac asked, seeing Jack nod. "He was taken by the Other's, before Michael, Jin and Sawyer got to us. We've had run in with the Others ourselves, a few times," she said, standing up as the other woman ran in.

"Here, Jack," the other woman said handing him something. The two women looked at each other.

"Kate, Mac," Jack said, introducing the two.

"Nice to meet you," Mac said. "Someone said something about a shower, if you're done using it," she said.

"In there," Kate said sitting down.

"Thanks," she said, picking up her duffel bag, walking to the bathroom.

_Mac took a breath walking into the recruitment office. "I'm looking for Master Sgt. Austen," Mac said._

"_You found him," the man answered turning around._

"_Mackenzie Grayson, Judge Whitmore gave me your card a few months ago. He thought I should call you," Mac said._

_The Master Sgt nodded to the chair across from his desk. "A couple months ago, huh? It took you this long to call?"_

_Mac shrugged. "Hadn't quite made up my mind if I really wanted to join the Army or not. I don't exactly take orders real well, and I've got a hell of an independent streak."_

_The man nodded taking out a file. "He thought you might be in, sooner or later," he said. "You scored high on the aptitude tests." _

"_Yeah well that doesn't exactly help me in the real world and I doubt it would help me in the Army," she said._

"_You said you don't follow orders well, how about giving them?" he asked._

_Mac looked at him. "What?" _

"_I'm talking about officer school," The Sgt answered. "You have the scores from it here, and you've already showed leadership ability by taking care of your two sisters for over two years. I mean you'd still have to take orders, but giving them also."_

"_I never thought about it," she said, shrugging. "I guess."_

"_Let's schedule the entrance test for next week, you'd have to get your GED before you could enter. And, I wouldn't be surprised if one day if you were giving me orders in combat," Austen said._

"_Whatever, let's see if I get through the testing first," Mac said standing up._

Mac tied her hair back as she came out of the bunker wearing a pair of camouflaged pants, a brown t-shirt and summer Army boots.

"Shower's empty," she said, going up to Libby and Ana sitting down.

"You had army gear packed in Australia?" Ana asked.

"Wore it too long to just get rid of it," she said.

"How's Sawyer?" Libby asked.

"Running a fever, still in danger," Mac answered.

"Should leave it up to them, if it was you, they would let you die," Ana said.

"I don't think so," Mac answered. "They seem to have made this work, better than us anyway."

"Are you saying what happened is my fault? You could have taken charge, you had the experience," Ana said.

"Hey, enough," Libby said. "Mac wasn't saying that, but what she said is the truth. We aren't alone anymore, Ana," she said. "And Mac's already making friends, maybe a bit more," she teased.

"Yeah, ok, I think that's my cue, to go get water," she said, standing up as two men came up.

"We wanted to come introduce ourselves, I'm Charlie, this is Hurley," the blonde answered.

"I'm Libby, this is Ana Lucia, and this is Mackenzie," Libby introduced standing up.

The bigger man, named Hurley looked at Mac. "No offense, dude, but with a name like Mackenzie I was expecting a male."

Mac nodded. "So was my dad," she said. "If you will excuse me, I'm going to go fill up my water canteen," she said, rising to leave, passing tents as she headed over to the water supply, filling up her canteen in the process.

"You sure you are out of the Army?" Sayid asked, coming up.

Mac glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

"You have a duffle bag, army gear inside, and a canteen," Sayid pointed out.

"Old habits," she said shrugging. "Thanks again for the help with the bag," she said.

"It is not a problem," he said filling up his water bottle. "The people from your group, except for Rose's husband, seem to be staying to themselves."

"Wouldn't you?" Mac asked. "I mean you all have a routine, places to stay, and we're like the black sheep coming in uninvited to the party. You don't have to worry about us, we'll get in. Look you and I are already talking. Twice in a short period of time. And Nathan seems to be trying to make some time with the blonde - Shannon, right? - For Ana, it'll take more time, I'm not even sure if she's comfortable with us. Anyway, I'm going to go scout out a place to set up a tent."

"If you pull out a tent out of that duffle bag, I am going to be mad that I didn't check your bag," Sayid said.

Mac smiled. "Yeah that's the one thing I didn't think about, I mean I wasn't planning on crashing on a deserted island. See ya, Sayid," she said walking away.

Evening Time

Mac struggled with a canvas putting it up to make shelter. "Damn it," she said, shaking her head.

"We'll help," she heard a woman say behind her.

"Like you helped me," Jin said in Korean.

"Thanks, I seem to be out of practice," she answered in Korean.

"Your speak with perfect pitch," the woman commented. "I'm Sun, thank you for helping my husband and the others," she said in English.

"It's not a problem, really," she answered. "I spent a lot of time in Korea, I really enjoyed it," Mac said.

"Jin said you were in the Army," Sun said, speaking in Korean so Jin could understand.

"Yeah, I've been out for a couple years," she said.

"Sayid was in the military in Iraq," Jin said.

"Yeah, we've already been introduced," Mac answered. "He helped me move a bag to get mine," she said finishing pinning the canvas up. "Thanks," she said, putting her bag inside.

"Anytime," Jin said, leaving with Sun.

Mac took a breath going inside, digging into her bag, pulling out a wallet before taking out a picture and kissing it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sink or Swim**

Mac walked into the woods, seeing Kate, who turned quickly. "Did you see that?" she asked.

"See what?" Mac answered.

Kate shook her head. "I'm probably seeing things," she told her.

"How's Sawyer?" she asked.

"Still have a high fever, but he spoke. I just needed to get out of there for a bit," Kate informed her.

"Well I'm glad to here he's doing better. Do you think Jack would mind if I went down and saw him?" Mac asked.

"No, but you don't have to," Kate answered.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to. I was worried about him," Mac stated..

"Do you like him?" Kate queried.

"Excuse me?" Mac asked. "Kate, it's nothing like that. I helped carry him through the jungle on a stretcher, so I'm happy to know that he survived. I would like to think that us from the tail section and you from the middle, can think of each other as part of one group, and not two separate groups. Ana doesn't think that way," Mac said, picking fruit.

"Sorry, I guess I'm just tired," Kate answered.

"It's ok," Mac answered. "I'm going to go," she said turning back shaking her head.

_Mac walked into the hospital going up to the nurses station. "My sister was brought in, Taylor Grayson."_

"_Mac!" Jordan said, seeing her._

"_Jordie, what the hell happened?" she demanded._

"_She got mad, she ran out into the street, a car hit her," Jordie said._

"_Where is she?" Mac asked._

"_Mac….she didn't make it," Jordie told her._

_Mac looked at her sister. "Where is she? I want to see her!" _

_Jordie walked with her to the morgue, going in with her. "Mac, I'm sorry."_

_Mac walked over to the body of the 16 year old, touching her face. "Taylor, I'm sorry I wasn't here." she said kissing the top of her head. She turned and looked at Jordie. "I always took care of you and her. You promised me you'd take care of her."_

"_You left, joined the Army doing your own thing. You were gone for over three years in Korea. I was stuck with her, then you went to Iraq, and you're planning on getting married. You barley came and saw us, I was stuck with her. But this wasn't my fault! You can't blame me for this," she said._

"_I joined the Army so I could have money to send for you and her, which I have done regularly for years. You're 20 now, you can take care of yourself, you don't need my help anymore. And, you better believe I blame you for this. I would have never let this happen," she said. "Don't come to her funeral, don't you dare," she said, leaving._

Mac smiled seeing Sawyer sitting up. "You're looking better then the last time I saw you."

"Heard that you refused to leave me in the middle of the jungle, Drill Sgt, I appreciate that," Sawyer said.

Mac shrugged. "I did what needed to be done. Where's Jack?" she asked.

"Took a breather. I thought we were rescued, but Freckles had to burst my bubble," Sawyer answered.

"Freckles? Oh Kate," she said figuring it out. "You got a problem with remembering names?"

"Nicknames are better, I call them as I see them," he answered.

"So when did Jack say you can come back to the land of the living?" Mac asked.

"I haven't told him yet, he's still running a fever," Jack answered coming in. "How was your first night in the camp?"

"Ok, after Jin and Sun helped me with setting up cover. For some reason, I didn't think of packing a tent."

"Sawyer would have stolen it if you had, he's our resident thief," Jack answered.

"I would have kicked his but, and taken it back, after he got better of course," Mac answered. "Welcome back to the land of the living," she said, going back on top. She walked past a tent with a baby stopping. "I did hear crying last night," she said.

A blond woman looked up. "You're Mac right? I'm Claire this is Aaron. Come in," she said.

"I thought I was imagining things," Mac said. "God he's beautiful," she said, smiling down at the baby.

"Thanks," she said with a smile. "Do you have children?"

Mac looked up at the younger woman. "No," she answered, looking back down. "Hello, little man," she said touching his face.

"You can pick him up if you want," Claire said.

"No it's ok, he's quite happy right now," she said touching his face. "If you ever need someone to watch him, I'd be happy to," she offered.

"Thanks, everyone helps out," she said.

"I'll talk to you later," she said smiling. "And you too, little man."

"_Major Grayson?" a military policeman asked her._

_She turned. "Yes?" _

"_There's been an accident," another military policeman said._

_Mac took a breath. "What type of accident?" _

"_Involving your daughters," the first man said._

"_Major what's going on?" A lieutenant asked coming over._

"_My ex husband had something to do with it didn't he?" Mac asked._

"_I'm sorry, we can't say anything, ma'am, we need you to come with us," the first officer said._

"_Mac, listen to me, it'll be ok," the Lieutenant said. "I'm coming with her," the man said._

"_Of course Lt. Mason," the officer said nodding._

"_There dead, aren't they?" she asked._

_The officers looked at each other, not saying anything. _

"_Tell me!" she said, launching herself at him._

"_Mac, stop," Mason said, grabbing her. "It's going to be ok, but you can't go attacking a police man," he said, touching her cheek. "Come on."_

Mac sat on the beach pulling down a sweat shirt that said Army on it, as the sun went down.

"Mind if I join you?" a voice asked from behind her.

"Sayid," she said, without looking up. "It's a free beach," she said.

"Why did you lie to Claire?" he asked sitting down.

"Excuse me?" she asked looking at him.

"You dropped this," he said, handing her a picture of her and two girls.

Mac took it. "I didn't lie," she simply said.

"That picture says differently," Sayid said.

"Why do you care if I lied or not?" Mac asked, looking at him.

Sayid looked at her. "I don't know what your group went through out there, but here we survived because we learned to live together. It wasn't easy, but we did because we learned to trust each other and depend on each other. Claire asked you if you had children and you said no, which looks to be a lie. When you lie, you make the people around you distrust you, and I would hate to see you be distrusted because of a simple lie such as if you had children or not."

Mac looked at him. "You mean you would hate to distrust me, since you are the one who found the picture."

Sayid nodded. "Yes."

"I didn't lie, Sayid. Claire asked me if I had children, I responded no because I don't. My daughters were killed over two years ago," Mac said. "It's easier to say no because then I don't have to try explain," she told him. "So, am I off your distrust list?"

Sayid nodded. "I didn't mean to pry," he said.

Mac smiled a little. "Yes you did, because you needed to know if you could trust me or not. Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead," he said.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"Doing what?" Sayid asked.

"Going out of your way to talk to me," Mac said.

"Shouldn't I?" Sayid questioned.

"No one else in the mid section has gone out of there way to talk to any of us, except for Jin and Michael, and Rose for the obvious reasons. They talk to us if we happen to approach them, but you, you seem to be going out of your way to talk to me," Mac said.

"I'll leave if that's what you want," Sayid said.

"Sayid, seriously why?" Mac asked.

Sayid looked at her. "Perhaps it's our similar military backgrounds, or perhaps it's because I know what's it like to be the outsider."

"I'm the outsider?" she asked.

"The tail section survivors," he corrected.

Mac looked at him. "I appreciate it," she said. "It is kind of intimidating, and I don't intimidate easily."

"I wouldn't imagine you would," Sayid agreed.

Mac moved her hair out of her eyes, looking across the beach. "What is up with Shannon? I see her up there all the time."

"Her brother Boone died a few days before your arrival," Sayid answered. "I can leave you alone if you would like."

Mac looked at him. "No it's ok, stay. I'd like the company," she said, talking with him through out the night.

Libby walked up to her the next morning at the watering hole. "I saw you last night, on the beach talking with Sayid till late."

"He was just being sociable," Mac said.

"Really?" Libby asked. "Oh come on, something is definitely going on."

"I think you're trying to see something where something isn't," she said.

"What am I going to do with you and Ana? Both of you seem intent on doing everything possible to stay away from everyone," Libby said. "Can you tell me what exactly you have against admitting that you may be attracted to Sayid?"

"Libby," she said, shaking her head. "Look around, we're not exactly in the place to start a relationship. And if we were in the real world, Sayid and I would never talk and have nothing in common," she said.


	4. Chapter 4

Sink Or Swim

Chapter 4

Mac walked into the hatch. "Jack?" she called out.

"Get out!" he called to her.

"What?" she asked, hearing a gun from behind her.

"Get in there," Michael commanded.

"Michael, what are you doing?" Mac demanded.

"Hey, whatever's going on…" Jack said.

"Look, I'm going after my son. I'm going after my son, and nobody is going to stop me, okay? Okay, that is my right! That is a father's right!" Michael said.

"There's another way to go about this…" Jack said.

"Get in the damn room!" Michael said.

"Michael, I understand, believe me, more then you know, but this isn't the way," Mac said.

"You going to shoot us, Michael?" Jack asked.

"No, but I'll shoot your damn computer. That thing is not what you think it is anyway. You don't understand, man. You don't have any idea. Now get in there!" Michael said.

"Michael, Michael, listen, we can do this together, okay? I'll come with you," Jack said.

"I will too," Mac said.

"No, I have to do it. Now. I have to do it alone," Michael said, locking the door.

"What happened?" Locke said, coming to.

"Michael knocked you out. Look over here," Jack said, moving his finger in front of his face.

"Why would he...?" Locke asked.

"He went after Walt. You feel nauseated, sick?" Jack asked.

"No, I'm okay," Locke answered.

"Good. Give me a boost up," Jack said.

"It's no use. I bolted it shut from the inside," Locke said.

"You what?" Jack said.

"No point in changing the combination if you can get in through the air vent," Locke said, glancing over to Mac. "Jack," he said nodding to Mac.

"That's really good thinking, John. You want to tell me why you let Michael in here?" he said, going over to Mac who was starting to hyperventilate. "Hey, Mac look at me, what's going on?"

"He wanted a gun - for shooting practice," Locke answered.

"Hate…small….spaces," Mac answered. "Panic….attacks…..haven't had one….in…long time."

"Shooting practice?" Jack asked. "Mac stay with me, breathe."

"The button. How long was I out?" Locke questioned.

"Twenty minutes," Jack answered. "Mac, look at me,"

Mac looked at him, trying to get a control of her breathing. "Sorry," she said, still hyperventilating.

"It's ok, stay calm," Jack said, taking her pulse. "It's racing. Come on, stay with me."

"We're on shift for the next 4 hours. There's nobody coming down here," Locke said.

"Four hours?" Mac asked, starting to breathing heavy again.

Jack looked at Locke. "Thanks, John. Yeah, well, better hope Sawyer shows up to get his band-aid changed. Mac, come on don't pass out on me. Breathe. Short steady breaths," Jack said.

Mac took a breath. "I don't…..think….I can," she said.

"Yes you can," Jack instructed. "Locke and I are here with you, you aren't alone. Take a couple of deep breaths," he instructed.

Mac nodded, doing what she was told.

_Mac pounded on the closet door. "Robert, come on, don't do this. At least let Sofia out, she's only a baby," she demanded._

"_Admit you're having an affair," her husband of three years ordered._

_Mac touched the babies cheek. "Robert, this is insane! I am not having an affair, there is only you, there has only been you."_

"_Then why are you always around men?" he asked._

"_Are you serious? I'm a 1st Lt in the United States Army, 97% of the people I work with are men. It's always been like that!" she said, taking a breath. "Robert, I love you, you and Sofia are my life, but I have a job, a job that requires me to spend a majority of time with men."_

"_You're a liar! And you are going to stay in there until you admit it!" he said, storming off_.

"Jack! John!" they heard Kate calling out.

"Kate!" Jack and Locke both said.

"Jack?" Kate asked, puzzled.

"In here, in the armoury. Michael locked us in here," Jack said.

"What'd he say?" Sawyer asked.

"I got it," Kate said, as the beeper started beeping.

"Hope you got the combo, Doc," Sawyer said.

"Right two times to 25," Locke said.

"Twenty Five, got it," Sawyer said.

"Left two times to 29. Right once to 40," Locke instructed.

"Howdy, boys," Sawyer said.

Jack helped Mac out. "Deep breaths, let's get you outside."

"You in there too, Drill Sgt?" Sawyer said. "You don't look too good."

Mac glared at him. "Gee thanks," she said sarcastically.

"Kate, go get Libby or Ana and bring them here to stay with Mac, then I'm going after Michael," he instructed. "Mac, easy take deep breaths, you're out," he said, as Kate left.

"I'm going with you….to track Michael," Mac said.

"That's not a very good idea," Locke said.

"I have to agree with these two, Drill Sgt, you're not looking too good," Sawyer said.

"You'll stay, you exerted a lot of energy having a panic attack," Jack said. "Do you have medicine for it?"

"Did," she answered. "Hadn't….had one in…over a year."

On the beach:

Kate walked up to Libby. "Libby right?" she asked.

"Yes," she said turning.

"Jack sent me to get you, Mac's having some kind of attack," she said.

"Where?" she said, putting down her bag following her.

"The hatch," Kate said, leading her.

"I'll be right behind you," she said, going over to where Sayid was working. "Sayid, Kate just came to get me, saying something about Mac having some kind of attack at the hatch."

"Let's go," Sayid said, getting his bag.

"What happened?" Sayid asked, catching up to Kate.

"Michael went after Walt, locked Locke, Jack and Mac in the armoury. She was having trouble breathing," Kate explained.

"Sounds like she's claustrophobic," Libby said, seeing them looking at her. "I'm a clinical psychiatrist," she explained.

"She's been in the hatch before," Kate said.

"Has she ever been locked in a small room in the hatch before?" Libby asked. "Small spaces affect some people, and it doesn't have to have a reason."

Jack took a gun from Sawyer. "Colour's coming back," Jack told Mac. "How you feeling?"

"Embarrassed. I survive a plane crash, survive the Others, and I lose it when I'm locked up…in a small space," she said.

"Found Libby," Kate said, coming up. "What's with the gun Jack?"

"We're going after Michael," Jack said. "Libby, I want you to stay with Mac, make sure she drinks water."

"And keep her out of small spaces, got it," Libby said.

"You ok?" Sayid asked, coming up beside her.

Mac shot a look at Libby. "Yeah….I'm ok."

"You got a gun for me Jack?" Kate said.

"You're not coming," Jack said.

"Excuse me?" Kate asked.

"You're not coming. Someone has to be here to take care of the button," Jack asked.

"So why should that person be me? I can track, carry a gun...Mac can do it," Kate said.

Mac glanced at her. "Yeah, put the person who just had a panic attack back in there, that's a fantastic idea, Kate."

"Sorry," Kate apologized. "I wasn't thinking."

"Obviously," Libby said.

"You're not coming! You're staying. Alright? Sayid?" Jack asked offering him a gun.

Sayid shook his head. "I'm going to stay here, Jack."

"Right, let's go," Jack said them, leaving.

"I'm fine, you two don't have to watch me," she said.

"Were you planning on doing anything today Sayid?" Libby asked.

"No, I was pretty much free, you?" he asked.

"Nope, had no plans," Libby said. "You seem to be stuck with us - both of us - whether you want to be or not," she said, feeling her pulse. "Still racing."

"What happened?" Sayid asked.

"Very claustrophobic," she said. "Hate small places. It's ok to laugh, the thought of a soldier who spent time in bunkers, and fox holes, hating closed off small spaces."

"Hey, the key word there is _closed off_," Libby said. "Let's get you back to camp, you need to be as far away from this place as you can get right now."

Mac nodded, standing up, feeling dizzy.

"Lack of proper oxygen into the airway," Libby said, helping her.

"I got her," Sayid said, helping to support her.

"Of all the planes in the world I could have taken, it had to be one with a Clinical Psychiatrist aboard," Mac said.

Sayid laughed. "How about the one that crashed?"

"Right now, she's more irritating then the crash," Mac said, giving Libby a teasing look.

Libby gave her a knowing smile as she opened the flap of her tent for her. "You just hate it when I'm right."

Mac woke up from a nap, looking around. "Where's Sayid?"

"He excused himself about an hour ago, he said he'd be back. How are you feeling?" Libby asked.

"Ok, tightness in the chest," she said sitting up. "Not a word."

Libby smiled. "Not a word about what? Oh I know," she said. "The fact that as soon as I told Sayid you were sick, he dropped what he was doing and came with me. And, if you didn't notice he refused to go with Jack to find Michael."

"I noticed," Mac said.

"And, not to mention when you woke up the first person you asked for is Sayid. I'm glad you got some sleep," Libby said. "You were looking really unwell. How long have you had these panic attacks for?"

"About 9 years, hadn't had one for a year," she said. "It didn't affect me unless I was in a small space where I knew I couldn't get out. Always had meds with me when I was on duty just in case, you know?"

Libby nodded. "No major ones like that or you would have been removed off duty," she said.

"Or put on desk duty," Mac answered. "I hadn't had one for over a year, and it wasn't a major one," she answered.

They both looked up as the flap moved. "You're looking better," Sayid said coming in.

"Feeling better thanks," Mac answered. "Are they back yet?" she asked.

"No," Sayid answered. "Libby, do you mind if I take Mac out for a walk. I promise she'll be in good hands."

Libby smiled, standing up. "Of course not," she said. "Have fun," she said leaving.

"Where are we going?" Mac asked.

"You'll see," Sayid said, extending his hand. "Grab your sweater for later."

Mac arched an eyebrow grabbing her army sweater. "You aren't telling me where we're going but I'm just supposed to follow you blindly?"

"Do you trust me?" Sayid asked.

Mac looked at him. "Yeah, I do." she said

_Mac glanced up, putting on her Kevlar, going out in the compound as they were bringing in the prisoners. "Sergeant, how many?" _

"_Twelve, they were shredding documents, LT," he answered._

"_Have you given them POW rations yet?" she asked._

"_Not yet, this one understands English, we were going to get some answers," the Sergeant answered._

"_Unacceptable, you know the rules of engagement, Sgt. Austen, better then I do. POW rations first, make sure they're all fed properly," she ordered._

_Sgt. Anderson grabbed her arm, pulling her to the side away from the prisoner. "Mac, I know this is your first war, and you're gung ho to do things right, but some rules are meant to be broken," he informed her._

_Mac glanced down at his arm. "Remove your hand, Sgt Austen," she ordered. "Listen to me carefully, I'm only going to say this once," she told him as he removed his hand. "You're going to follow the rules, to a tee, in this regard, and if I hear otherwise, I will have your stripes so fast it'll make your head spin. Are we clear?" _

"_Yes ma'am, perfectly," he answered._

"_Good," she said, starting to walk away._

"_Hey Lt?" he called after her._

"_Yeah?" she asked, turning back around._

"_Whoever suggested that you be an officer needs to be court-martialled," he said with a small shake of his head._

"_I can start the paperwork for you Sgt Austen if you want," she answered back with a wink._

"Here we are," Sayid said coming into a clearing on the beach, with two torches, a picnic blanket and a picnic set up.

Mac couldn't help but smile, shaking her head. "What's all this?"

"Thought you could use some fresh air, in wide open space," he said, extending his hand.

Mac smiled, taking it, sitting down. "Thanks…." she said, looking at him. "This is nice, and thoughtful."

"Nice and thoughtful," Sayid repeated.

"What?" she asked. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Not exactly the words I was hoping for," he said.

"Romantic?" Mac asked.

"That's better," he said, pushing the hair out of her eyes.

"Sayid, did Libby put you up to this?" Mac asked resignedly.

Sayid looked at her. "Libby?"

"Yeah, for the past 8 days she's been trying to see something into it every time we talk, and you two were alone today while I was sleeping," she said.

"Isn't it possible that I wanted to simply surprise you?" Sayid asked. "And, no, Libby knows nothing about this," he answered.

"You refused to go with Jack to look for Michael today. Why?" she asked, looking at him.

"I think you know," he answered, opening a bottle of water handing it to her.

"Thanks," she said, taking it.

"Hey, talk to me," Sayid said, touching her cheek. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm just wondering why you'd be interested in me. Why do you even care? I'm the type that people, especially men, walk away from," Mac said.

"I'm not going anywhere," Sayid said, touching her cheek. "You are not alone."

"Sayid," she said, touching his hand.

Sayid leaned over, kissing her softly.

Mac smiled, pulling back. "Libby is never going to let me live down that she was right, you know," she said, laughing.

"Sorry," he answered, laughing, cutting some fruit. "You feeling better?"

Mac nodded. "Yeah about everything. I'm not too sure I'll be visiting the hatch anytime soon, even for a shower," she said, taking a piece of fruit. "Can I ask you something?"

Sayid nodded. "Of course."

"You know I was in the Army, you know we are about the same age, so you probably figured out that I was in Desert Storm. Doesn't it bother you?" she asked.

"Why should it?" Sayid asked.

Mac shrugged, taking a bite of fruit. "I invaded your country," she said.

Sayid laughed. "You did it all by yourself?" he asked. "No, you were doing what you were told, just as I was. Does it bother you that I may be responsible for torturing American troops? Even troops that you knew? That were under your command?"

Mac tucked her hair behind her ear. "I really didn't think about it, but as you said, you were doing your job, as I was."

"I'm not that same person," Sayid said. "I regret who I was."

"I regret things too, maybe not dealing with Iraq, but other things," she said. "You ever been married?"

"No," he answered. "You?"

Mac nodded. "One of the biggest regrets of my life," she said. "I was great at handling troops, giving orders, but I was a total wimp when it came to my husband."

Sayid watched her. "For some reason I don't see you as a wimp in anything."

Mac smiled. "Thanks, but I was. I didn't take action of ending my marriage until he laid a hand on one of our daughters, then two weeks later, he broke into my house, waited until they came home from school, and shot them."

Sayid touched her face. "Mac," he said.

"Please don't say you're sorry. I had so much of that when it first happened, and I didn't tell you so you could feel sorry for me," Mac said.

Sayid kissed her. "I'm here to listen but only when you are ready to talk. Don't feel like you have to tell me this now."

Mac nodded. "I feel for Michael. I wish I was out there with him helping him find his son. He feels responsible for not being able to protect Walt. I know that guilt," she said.

"Going about it the way he did, it was wrong. He had no reason to go out there alone, let alone hold a gun on you, Jack and Locke and lock you in a room," Sayid said. "Any of us would have gone with him, all he had to do was ask. Walt was one of us," Sayid said, standing up and lighting the torches.

"But you refused to go with Jack when he offered you a gun," she pointed out.

Sayid sat down, closer to her this time. "Another one of us needed me more," he pointed out.

Mac smiled, kissing him, longer this time.

"Progress," he said smiling.

"Progress?" she asked, with a tilt of her head.

"You kissed me, not the other way around. Progress," Sayid said touching her face.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 5**

Sayid and Mac walk back into camp the next morning, holding hands, talking.

"They're back," Mac said, seeing Sawyer.

"I'll find Jack, and find out what happened," Sayid answered. "Put this in my tent for me?" he asked, handing her his bag.

"Yeah, I'll see you later. I'm sure that Libby is probably looking for me," she said, shaking her head, walking away. She turned her head hearing the baby, Aaron, crying. "Hey, someone's a bit fussy," she said, going near Claire's tent as Charlie was leaving. "Hey Charlie," Mac said.

"Mac," he said, passing her.

"I asked him to leave because of the heroin," Claire said. "I need to make sure Aaron's safe, you know?"

Mac nodded, putting down Sayid's bag, sitting down. "Claire, there's something I need to tell you."

Claire looked up at her. "What?"

"You asked me if I had kids, I said no. I don't, not anymore, my daughters were killed two years ago. It's just hard for me to talk about them, I blame myself," Mac said.

"Why are you telling me this now?" Claire asked, concern obviously in her eyes.

Mac glanced over to where Sayid was talking with Jack and Kate then turned her attention back to Claire.

"Because someone pointed out to me, it's not a good way to earn trust if you're found out to be lying, even an unintentional one. I'm sure you probably want me to leave, and I don't blame you."

Claire looked at her. "No, it's ok. I can understand why you lied, I think I would have done the same if something happened to Aaron like that," she said. "Isn't that Sayid's bag?"

"Yeah," Mac answered.

"Something going on between you two?" she asked.

"I'm not exactly sure how to answer that question," Mac said laughing. "Up until last night, I would have told you that the two of us were complete opposites, but now, I'm not too sure," Mac answered, picking up the bag.

"What were their names?" Claire asked.

"Excuse me?" Mac asked.

"Your daughters, what were their names?" Claire asked.

"Sofia and Paige," Mac answered.

"I'd like to hear about them," Claire offered.

Mac smiled. "I've got to get this over to Sayid's tent," she said, picking up the bag. "But, I think I'd like to tell you about them," she said, giving Claire a smile as she left.

_Mac took a breath, walking into the military hospital, being taken to the emergency room, a doctor coming toward her. "Major Parker?" she asked._

"_Grayson," she quickly corrected. "My daughters?"_

"_Their names are Sofia and Paige! Not the older or younger. Sofia and Paige," she repeated. "What are you saying? Are you saying there's no hope for Sofia to recover?" _

"_I'm sorry, Major. We can keep her on life support, but that will only keep her breathing," the doctor explained. "Is there any family we can call for you?"_

"_My only family is either in the morgue or on life support," she said. "I want to see them," she demanded._

"_Major Grayson, we need to discuss taking your daughter off life support," the doctor said._

"_Can this wait till later?" Lt. Mason asked. "The Major has just been informed of one of her daughter's has died, and that the other one is near death. She needs to be able to see them, grieve properly."_

"_Of course, follow me," the doctor said, taking Mac's arm._

Mac walked out of Sayid's tent after putting his bag in there.

"Well, well, it looks like Drill Sgt and Captain Arab are making some international peace treaties of their own," Sawyer said from behind her.

Mac turned around. "Sawyer, don't make me regret not leaving you in the jungle on the way here."

"Oh come on, Short Stuff, can't take a little teasing? I saw you holding hands with him coming back from being gone with him overnight, and now you're coming out of his tent. I didn't think of you to be one who moved that fast," Sawyer teased.

"Well my five foot, four inches can take you on anytime, Sawyer. What happened out there? With Michael?" she asked.

"You don't get to change the subject that quick," Sawyer said with a grin.

Mac turned around. "This is me leaving Sawyer," she said, walking away.

"You're no fun," he called after her.

Mac waved back at him, shaking her head as she went over to Libby. "Hey, you were planning on doing laundry?"

Libby looked up from sorting her clothes. "Yeah, you want me to do some of yours? Considering that the hatch is probably the last place you want to be right now?" she asked.

"Yeah, I've only got a few things," Mac said, going back to retrieve her bag.

"So? Don't keep me in suspense," Libby said.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Mac answered, taking out her dirty clothes and adding it to her pile.

"Oh right, Sayid took you on a walk late yesterday afternoon, and I haven't seen either one of you till this morning and you have no idea what I'm talking about," Libby said.

Mac laughed. "So I guess I'm not going to get out of telling you huh?"

"Don't even try it," she warned.

"He had set up a picnic," Mac reported

"Romantic," Libby gushed.

"Yeah I made the mistake of not saying that the first time I described it," Mac said, sitting down.

"Do I even want to know what words you used to describe it?" she asked.

"Nice and thoughtful," Mac answered.

"Ouch," Libby answered. "You really haven't had much experience in having people do romantic things for you have you?" She shook her head. "Please tell me that it got better after that?"

"Well I accused him of having talked to you, and you putting ideas in his head," Mac said.

Libby dropped her head, shaking it. "Well there goes your romantic hopes."

"Not necessarily," Mac answered.

Libby raised her head. "Oh?"

"He kissed me, then I said you'd never let me live it down that you were right, and we laughed," Mac reported.

"Nice, was it just one kiss?" Libby asked.

"At first," she responded.

"Well? What else? Did any clothing come off?" Libby asked with a grin.

"Ok you're as bad as Sawyer," she asked, shaking her head. "No, everything stayed on. We talked most of the night, until I fell asleep leaning against him. Do you have any sisters?" she asked.

"No why?" Libby asked.

"It's just this felt like a conversation I would have had with my sister when we were teens," she said, standing up. "Thanks for doing my laundry for me."

"Anytime," Libby said, as she left.

Mac looked up at the graveyard, going up. "Shannon?"

"Yeah?" she asked, not looking up.

"Sayid told me about your brother's death, I'm sorry."

"You didn't know him," Shannon pointed out. "Why do you care?"

Mac sat down. "No, you're right I didn't. And, you probably have heard people say they're sorry until you're sick of it or they know how you feel."

"Yeah," she said, looking at her.

"I lost a sister, years ago, and I hated it when people said they were sorry. I'm not going to say that but the pain will get less. You won't miss him any less, but each day it'll get better, slowly but surely. You've got a lot of people out here that care about you, so you aren't alone," she said standing up. "Come find me whenever you want to talk, ok?"

"Yeah, thanks," Shannon said.

_Mac looked in the mirror after taking a shower at the hotel, eyeing her gun on the dresser._

"_Did the hospital call yet?" Mason asked from the bed._

_Mac turned. "No, I told them I'd come back later this afternoon. I should have stayed, instead of coming here."_

"_Mackenzie, you've been up three days in a row, sitting at Sofia's bedside, waiting for word from the military police on whether they've found Robert or not," Mason said, extending his hand pulling her onto the bed._

"_It's my fault, that Paige is dead and Sofia is lying on a hospital bed, almost dead," Mac said numbly._

"_Stop it," Mason told her, kissing her. "You did nothing to cause this, nothing at all. You loved those girls with all your might, and you did nothing but protect them. You got them out at the first sign that he was abusing them. And if I had known he was hitting you when it was going on, he would have met had a very deadly accident."_

"_We weren't involved yet," she pointed out._

"_Doesn't matter, I still cared, you know that," Mason said._

"_Doesn't matter if both of us lose our commissions because I'm your commanding officer," she said, sarcastically._

"_I don't care," he said, kissing her._

"_I'm not sure if I can continue this right now," Mac said, getting up. "I need to go to Sofia."_

Mac walked to Sayid's tent. "Can I come in?" she asked from the outside.

"Of course," he said, moving the flap for her as she came in, kissing her softly after she was in.

"Sayid, I went into your bag to get my sweat shirt this morning and I found the picture. Who is she?" Mac asked.

Sayid touched her face. "Her name is Nadia."

Mac looked at him. "Do you love her?"

"I thought I did, but I haven't seen her in a long time," Sayid answered, sitting down with her.

"But you carry a picture of her that says _you will find me in the next life if not this one_," Mac said.

"You read Arabic?" Sayid questioned.

"I can read it, but I can't speak it that well," she said. "Sayid, I need to know before anything else happens, where I stand. I can't, I won't, be second best," Mac said.

Sayid kissed her. "I wouldn't be feeling the way I felt about you if I really loved Nadia. You are the one I want to be with."

"After 9 days you know that how?"

"I don't know. Before crashing on the island, I would have said that it was impossible for me to feel this way after such a short period. But, all I know now is that I want to be with you, I want to protect you," Sayid said, kissing her. "I promise you that here and now, you are my one and only priority."

Mac nodded. "I believe you," she said, kissing him. "What did Jack have to say? What happened?"

"Kate followed them, the others caught her, held a gun to her head. Forced Jack, Sawyer and Locke to turn back," he said, playing with her hair. "They said if we didn't bother them, they wouldn't bother us."

"You don't believe them," Mac said, leaning against him.

"Do you?" Sayid asked.

Mac shook her head. "No," she answered. "We didn't exactly do anything to them while we were on the other side of the island, and they still attacked us, still kidnapped some of us," she said.

"They kidnapped Claire while she was pregnant, hurt her, tried to kill Charlie," Sayid said, kissing her.

"I should go," she said.

"Stay," Sayid said.

Mac laughed. "Yeah, so Sawyer can make more disgusting innuendos?"

"What?" Sayid asked quietly.

"He saw me coming out of your tent today, made some Sawyer-ish comment. I think I pissed him off when I turned away and waved," she said laughing.

"Do you really care what anyone thinks, especially Sawyer? I don't," Sayid said.

"If I did, I wouldn't be here now," she said kissing him. "But we both need to get some sleep tonight," she said, shaking her head.

"Night," he said kissing her.

"Night," she said, laying her head on his chest.

Mac stirred, hearing something from outside, sitting up.

Sayid rubbed her back, waking up. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I thought I heard something," she said.

"It's okay! We're over here!" they heard Hurley say.

"Is he alright? Is he okay?" Claire asked.

"Claire," Mac said, getting up running out of the tent, followed by Sayid.

"Claire. I don't know what happened. I'm sorry. He's okay, though. I, I had this dream -" Charlie rambled.

Claire slapped Charlie, walking away.

"Claire?" Mac asked, running after her. "You ok? Aaron?"

Claire turned. "Yes, we're ok. Would you mind, I mean, staying with us tonight?"

Mac looked back at Sayid, who had overheard, and nodded. "Yeah I'll stay, no problem," she said walking back to her tent with her.

"Why is he doing this?" she asked, putting Aaron down. "I thought he loved Aaron," she said.

"Claire, people do all kind of insane things in the name of love. I don't know what's going on with Charlie. Charlie probably doesn't know what's going on with Charlie," Mac said. "He won't be back tonight, that I can assure you. Maybe you should talk with Jack tomorrow?"

"Maybe," Claire said doubtfully. "Thanks for staying," she said, gratefully.

"No problem," Mac said, lying down on the ground.

The Next day:

Mac watched as Charlie came from talking with Eko then tried to get past Kate to get to talk with Claire, saying something about needing to baptize Aaron.

"Eko, can we talk?" she asked, going up where he was marking trees.

"What is it Mackenzie?" he asked.

"What did you say to Charlie?" she asked, having given up on getting Eko to call her Mac.

"We talked about him having dreams, about the child, why?" Eko asked.

"I'm just concerned about what happened last night, with Aaron," Mac said. "Claire asked me to stay with her last night, she was visibly shaken, and I overheard Charlie say something about you saying that Aaron needed baptizing."

"We discussed why he was having dreams about the child need saving, I mentioned baptizing. Why are you taking such an intense interest in Claire and the child?" Eko asked.

Mac gazed out at the ocean. "She is a mother trying to protect her child, and I guess it's hit home for me," she answered.. "Thanks," she said, getting up and leaving.

_Mac took a breath, entering the chapel at the hospital, going up to the alter bending down, crossing herself. "I know it's been a long time since I've even entered a church, or even acknowledged that you exist. But I need a sign, something to help me decide what to do about Sofia's suffering. Am I being selfish keeping her on life support and letting her suffering continue? I can't do this alone. Please, something, anything," she begged, standing up._

_Mac felt a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't meant to intrude, but I was wondering if there was anything I could do," the man asked._

_Mac looked at him. "I didn't know anyone else was here or I wouldn't have talked out loud."_

"_It's not a problem," the man said. "Sofia? Is that your sister?" the man asked._

"_My daughter," she responded. "She's on life support. I'm sorry I don't mean to bother you with my problems."_

"_I asked. I would be torn too if I had a terrible decision to make such as that, especially about a child. But, if the machine is breathing for her, then that is not the Sofia you know. She will never smile at you, never hug you, and never make you laugh at something she has done. You asked for a sign, perhaps me being here is it," the man said._

"_Thank you," she said, going out of the chapel._

Mac arched an eyebrow seeing Sayid and another survivor lifting something.

"Need help?"

"If you don't mind," Sayid said, as she moved to help. Both glanced at Charlie as he walked by.

Mac finished, walking a little away. "Do you hear that?" she asked Sayid.

Sayid listened, then looked.

"Fire! Fire!" he yelled, running through camp. "Grab tools, containers for sand, anything you have. If we don't stop it now, it's going to burn right through the camp."

"Some of us need to be by the water!" Mac called, grabbing a bucket.

"We need to cut a fire break right here! Form a bucket line!" Sayid yelled.

"Some of you people get down to the water!" Locke said, as Mac handed him some buckets. We'll hand them up, wait here," Locke instructed.

Mac and the other survivors worked to put out the fire, stopping when it was out.

"He's got my baby! Stop it!" Claire yelled.

"No, Claire, it's alright! It's not –" Charlie begged.

"Charlie, stop! Help! Somebody help! He's got my baby!" Claire called desperately.

Locke and Mac both ran to help.

"Help! Come on, Charlie, please. Stop it," Claire pleaded.

"I just wanted to save him!" Charlie cried.

"Charlie! Give me the baby," Locke commanded.

"Eko, tell them! Tell them, Eko! Tell them what you told me - that the baby has to be baptized!" Charlie called.

"This is not the way," Eko said.

"Charlie, come on, give him to me," Locke demanded.

"Who the hell are you, John? Aaron's not your responsibility! Where were you when he was born? Where were you when he was taken? You're not his father! You're not his family!" Charlie said, as Mac and Kate walked up near Claire.

"Neither are you, Charlie," Locke reminded him.

"I have to do this. I need to. I'm not going to hurt him," Charlie said.

"You're hurting me, Charlie," Claire cried.

Mac watched as Charlie gave the baby to Locke who gave the baby back to Claire.

"Claire. I'm sorry, Claire," Charlie says.

Mac took a breath as Locke hit Charlie three times, causing him to land in the surf. She waited until everyone left, and bent down beside him.

"Charlie, I need you to listen to me," Mac said, her voice firm. "The next time you go near Aaron without Claire's permission, I'm going to make what Locke did seem tame," she said, standing up and leaving.


	6. Chapter 6

**SINK OR SWIM**

**Chapter 6**

Mac walked away from Charlie, leaving him on the beach, walking back to Sayid where he was pouring water on the last of the fire.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Charlie risked all our lives for his own selfishness," Sayid said. "I am ok, but I am upset."

Mac nodded. "I know so am I," she said.

"You planning on spending the night at Claire's tent?" he asked.

Mac shook her head. "Locke and Kate are over there, plus I don't think Charlie's stupid enough to try anything again," she said. "I'm all yours, if you want me that is."

Sayid smiled touching her face. "Get your bag and meet me over there?"

"Yeah," she said, with a smile, going to her tent, getting her bag throwing it on her back, going over to his tent. "Hey," she said, walking in, noticing he was rubbing his shoulder. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I must have pulled something," he said.

Mac put her bag down. "Sit down and shirt off," she instructed.

Sayid arched an eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"

"Take your shirt off and sit down," she instructed.

Sayid laughed, taking his shirt off. "You know, there are easier ways to get me undressed," he said sitting down.

Mac shook her head, going behind him. "I'm sure there are," she said, starting to massage the shoulder he was rubbing. "I need to tell you something," she said.

"You can tell me anything, you know that," he said.

"When I told you my daughters were dead, it's true, but it wasn't an accident. My ex husband killed them after I left him. He broke into my house and killed them," she explained.

"Mac," he said.

"Stop, I know that tone in your voice. That tone is the tone of you not knowing whether to say you're sorry, or ask if there is anything you can do," Mac said, rubbing his shoulder.

"Shouldn't I say I'm sorry?" Sayid asked.

"Not if you want me to stay," she answered. "I stopped telling people what happened because of their sympathy or them not knowing what to say. That was the worst," she said. "I understand it, because what do you say to a grieving mother who lost her only reason for living?"

"What happened to your husband?" Sayid asked.

"Ex husband. He's in prison, two consecutive life terms, no chance of parole," Mac answered. "I personally wish he would have escaped, and then I would have had a reason to kill him."

"Revenge never makes things better," Sayid reminded her.

"I know, but at the time I was so filled with anger over Sofia and Paige, that all I could think of was making him pay, making him suffer the way he made our daughters suffer," Mac said, rotating his arm a little.

"You're good at that," he commented, raising his other hand up to her face.

"Thanks," she said, touching his other hand. "I was lucky enough to be allowed to be their mothers for Sofia's 12 years, and Paige's 7 years. A brief time, but at least I was given those years to be their mother. And don't think that I'm over them, I'm not. It's easier then it was, but I'll always wonder what they would be like," she said with a smile. "I let anger eat me up for a long time."

"Now?" he asked.

Mac looked at him, coming in front of him sitting down. "I cut everyone out of my lives after I buried my daughters. I resigned from the army, my friends that I've known for years. I didn't want to be around anyone that would ask me about them, because I didn't want to share the memories I had with anyone else. I walked away from everything and everyone. I even contemplated suicide on more than one occasion, just so I could be with my daughters again."

Sayid kissed her. "I'm glad that you're here, and that I have a chance to know you," he said kissing her harder. "Nothing is going to hurt you that much again, if it's in my power to prevent it."

Mac smiled. "I know," she said, shaking her head. "It's odd, when the plane crashed, and I landed in the water, I could easily have let myself drown but something made me fight to survive, like a hand pushing me."

"It wasn't your time," he said, kissing her, running his hand through her hair. "You have things that you are still meant to accomplish."

"I wouldn't have taken you as a destiny type of guy," Mac said, kissing his hand.

"Maybe I've been hanging around Locke too much," he said.

"Well I'm not too sure what I'm meant to accomplish, if anything," Mac answered.

Sayid lifted her face to his. "You walked over 48 days, to get your people to safety. Yes, some of them you couldn't, but you'll get them back, we'll get them back," he said. "You killed one of them, Goodwin, wasn't it?"

Mac nodded. "Yeah," she answered.

"You heard the fire tonight, and alerted us. You've stayed with Claire and Aaron. You are making accomplishments; you're making important contributions to the camp. To me," he said, kissing her.

Mac looked at him. "To you?" she asked.

Sayid nodded, taking her face in his hands. "I haven't fallen this fast for anyone in a long time."

"Sayid….." Mac said.

Sayid kissed her. "Mac," he said, kissing down her neck.

"Wait….please God wait," she said, pulling back.

Sayid looked at her. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked quietly

Mac gave a small smile. "No, not at all, it's just that…never mind."

Sayid kissed her. "Tell me," he said kissing the side of her face.

"I just don't want to rush something that may or not be true when we get rescued," Mac said.

Sayid touched her face. "What I'm feeling is true right here and right now, and I will never leave you," he said kissing her, picking her up moving her further inside the tent.

Mac kissed Sayid's chest, lying under the blankets. "You awake or did I wear you out?" she teased.

Sayid laughed, playing with her hair. "I'm awake. I love you Mackenzie," he said.

"Sayid…." she said, sitting up.

Sayid rubbed her back. "I don't expect you to feel like you have to say it back. I'd be surprised if you could ever trust anyone again and give them your heart."

Mac looked back at him. "I didn't think I could, but now I'm not too sure," she said, bending down kissing him. "It's just that I'm afraid - I've always thought I was the reason that everyone wound up leaving me."

Sayid sat up beside her. "Mac, it was their stupidity to have left you, and walked away. You never did anything to deserve it," he said kissing her.

Mac smiled. "Thanks."

Sayid looked at her. "We need to talk about something."

Mac looked at him. "What?"

"Pregnancy," he simply said.

Mac looked at him, and then burst out laughing. "Excuse me?"

"We are old enough to think about consequences of our actions," Sayid said.

Mac looked at him. "Yea, but maybe that conversation should have happened before…"

Sayid nodded, taking her face. "If you become pregnant, then we are in this together," he assured her kissing her.

"Sayid….the chances of me becoming pregnant are slim to none. After Paige was born, I got sick, one of my ovaries was removed. The chances of conceiving, pretty damn slim. And throw in the fact that I'm a couple years away from 40 in with that the chances go down more."

Sayid kissed her. "But the chance is there, and I just wanted to let you know how I felt if it occurred," he said, pulling her back.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 7**

Mac glanced over at Sayid, who was shucking coconut husks. "I'm not even going to ask what you're doing."

Sayid laughed. "Simple explanation," he said.

"One you can keep to yourself," she said, closing her eyes.

"You sure you don't want me to go get Jack to see if there's anything he can do for that headache?" Sayid asked, kissing her.

"No, it'll go away," she assured him. "Always does," she said, kissing him.

Hurley came in, without knocking. "Whoa sorry Dudes."

"We need a door, lock, key," Mac said laughing.

Sayid shook his head. "What do you want, Hurley?"

"So, I'm over at Rose and Bernard's tent. Did you know he's a dentist? Well, that's not all he's been holding out on us. The guy picked up Boone's signal from the Norwegian plane," Hurley said.

"Nigerian," Sayid corrected.

"Right, anyhow, he picked it up with this," Hurley said, holding up a radio.

"We found it in one of the bunkers; I didn't know Bernard had kept it," Mac said, sitting up.

"That is a short wave radio. It's a glorified walkie-talkie," Sayid said, ignoring the glare Mac shot him.

"Yeah, but can't you switch a blue wire with a red wire - make it stronger," Hurley suggested.

"We tried to send a signal with the plane's transceiver and all we got was the French woman's message on a loop. Why would I bother?" Sayid questioned.

"Come on, man, I mean, it's worth..." Hurley said.

"It's worth nothing. It's a waste of time," Sayid said

Mac reached for the radio. "I'll take a look at it, Hurley, Sayid isn't the only one able to do radio stuff," she said.

"Thanks," he said handing it over, leaving.

"Why did you do that?" Sayid asked.

"Why did you do what you did? People come to you because you have a skill they don't have, and look for guidance and even hope," Mac said.

"False hope, which is worse than no hope at all," Sayid told her.

"But it looks like we're doing something. Hate to tell you, but you're one of the leaders these people look at. And if I had been in the mid section, they probably would have came to me too," she said holding the radio closer to him.

"Fine I'll look at it," he said, taking it, kissing her. "You're going to keep me honest aren't you?"

Mac laughed. "Doing my best," she said with a grin, starting to step outside. "Rain," she said quickly turning back.

_Mac sighed hearing someone knock at the door again, pouring herself another drink getting up and opening it. "Mom…..what the hell are you doing here?"_

"_Well that's a nice welcome Mackenzie, we haven't seen each other in over twelve years, and that's the greeting I get?" she asked coming in._

"_Why don't you come on in mom, and make yourself comfortable," Mac said, closing the door, drinking her drink. "Mom I've got a lot of things going on and this is not a good time for a family reunion."_

"_I heard about my precious granddaughters, I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help," she said._

_Mac laughed, pouring another drink. "That's a crock of shit. The only person Abigail Grayson ever cared about helping was herself. You started taking cocaine while you were pregnant with Taylor, and by the time I was 12, you all but forgot you had 3 daughters at home. I practically raised Jordan and Taylor, with little or no help from you. Now you show up the day after I bury my daughters playing the doting mother," she said, sitting down on the couch. _

"_Baby, I do have my regrets," her mother said._

"_Right, regrets. More like how you can turn this situation to your advantage," Mac told her. "If I was in a plane crash and died, you'd be counting up dollar signs, figuring out how much I was worth dead. It would be considerably more than I am to you alive. I heard what you tried to do when Taylor was killed, sue the driver of the car for mental anguish. I wrote a scathing letter about you in the defense of the driver. I hated the driver, but I hated you more," she said, picking up her gun and aiming at her. "I will shoot you and who in their right minds would convict me? A mourning mother shooting her own deadbeat parent when she comes in uninvited. Perfect way to get rid of a problem in my life," she said, watching her. "I'd leave now."_

Mac walked out of the tent after the rain stopped, going to get some water. She felt a hand grab her elbow pulling her backwards.

"We need to talk GI Jane," Sawyer said.

"What the hell are you doing?" Mac asked.

"Sun was attacked," he said. "A black hood was put over her head, and her hands tied."

"Is she ok?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, she'll be ok," Sawyer said.

"The Others," Mac answered.

"Or someone who wants us to think that," Sawyer said.

"What?" Mac asked looking at him.

"The Doc and Rambina are trying to get an Army together; no one seems to be biting, so it would be convenient way of scaring people to have them think the Others are coming," Sawyer said.

"You're not suggesting that Jack and Ana would attack Sun are you?" Mac asked.

"You have to ask yourself, GI Jane, why they didn't invite you and your boyfriend to be members of their Army. I mean if I was setting up an army, I would want the two soldiers to be involved," Sawyer said. "The hoods are different to," he said, handing them to her.

"Sawyer, I can't believe that Jack or Ana Lucia would attack anyone," she said.

"Maybe Jack wouldn't, but Ana might," Sawyer said.

Mac took a breath. "I'll look into it," she said, walking off, in the direction of Ana's tent. "Ana," she greeted.

"Well she remembers my name. You seemed to have forgotten your tail section survivors, been hanging out with Sayid a lot. Are you hitting that?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" Mac asked.

"Nice beach, two hot people, it's what happens. Jack's denying he's doing Kate, but what we've gone through together, I'd hope you'd tell me the truth," Ana said.

"Only if you do the same for me," Mac said.

"What am I supposed to tell you the truth about?" Mac asked.

"Sun being attacked," Mac said.

"You think I had something to do with it?" Ana asked.

"I don't want to," Mac answered. "But you and Jack are looking for volunteers for an Army to go after them, you're not having a lot of success, then someone gets attacked. Does wonders for recruitment when people are scared. Look at the Army recruitment numbers after 9/11."

"I didn't have anything to do with it," Ana said.

"The bags are different, Ana," she said throwing her the bags. "It wasn't them," she said.

"Mac, you need to walk away now," she said.

"I was there with you on the other side of the island. You would have killed Nathan had I not intervened, and proven he wasn't the infiltrator. When it comes to the Others, you have a one track mind. Though I hate to think you're capable of this, it's not out of the realm of possibilities," Mac said.

"Bitch," Ana said, pushing her down. "I kept you safe and you accuse me of something like this?"

Mac kicked her off of her. "You're building a damn army, Ana. You ever think that perhaps you should ask the soldiers to build the army?"

"I'm doing it to protect us," she said, pushing her in the mud. "I'd expect it from them, but you? You were there with us! Did you forget what they did to us? That they took the kids! They had a hood over your head too, or have you forgotten that too. You feeling safe with your boyfriend, you forget what danger we are really in?" Ana asked.

"Ana stop it," Jack said, grabbing her around the waist.

"She accused me of attacking Sun," Ana said.

"Did you?" Kate asked.

"Jack let me go," Ana said.

"No," Jack said, keeping her back. "Ana, I was coming to ask the same thing," he said.

Sayid wrapped his arm around Mac's waist. "You ok?" he whispered.

"Yeah," she answered.

"You think I had something to do with this too Jack?" Ana asked.

"You did say earlier that we weren't scared enough, and then Sun gets attacked," Jack explained.

"There's someone in this camp that wants us to believe the Other's are coming, and since Ana is saying it's not her, then we need to figure out who," Mac said.

"You and I need to talk," Jack said to Ana. "Mac you ok?"

"Yeah, fine," she said, walking away.

"Where are you going?" Sayid asked, following her.

"If I can convince myself I need a shower bad enough, the hatch, otherwise the stream to wash off," Mac said.

Sayid grabbed her arm. "Hey, stop, look at me."

Mac turned and looked at him. "What?"

"What happened?" Sayid asked.

"Sawyer told me that Sun was attacked, and showed me the bags, the one put on Kate's head and the one put on Sun's. There different, then Jack and Ana are trying to build an Army to go after them. It's not hard for me to believe she could do something like that, Sayid. As much as I hate to admit it, I can see her doing it if it strengthens her case to go after them," Mac said.

Sayid pulled her close and kissed her head. "I believe you."

"Thanks," she answered.

"Jack had the same idea," Sayid told her. "But, you shouldn't have went over there alone," he told her.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"You should have told Jack or me, we would have come with you," Sayid said.

"I've been taking care of things on my own since I was 14, Sayid. I'm not one to ask anyone for help, especially when it's something I can handle on my own," Mac said.

Sayid touched her face. "You don't have to depend on just yourself anymore," he said.

"I may need you to remind me of that every now and then," Mac said looking at him.

"You got it," he said, kissing her.

_Mac sighed, walking into the JAG office, going into the office of the attorney that called her. "I should have known Mom, if there is a way you could try to profit from my daughters' murders, you would," she said, turning to the lawyer. "Thanks for calling me Ayden."_

"_When I overheard the conversation, I figured you needed to know. I'm sorry about the girls, I'll be outside if you need me," he said, leaving._

"_I just wanted to help," her mother said._

_Mac laughed. "Yeah, help yourself. Coming here, playing the grieving grandmother, asking how you could get access to the girls life insurance policies, to help me out so I don't have to deal with it. Nice, mom, real nice," she said._

"_I wanted to save you the trouble of having to worry about it," her mother told her._

_Mac slapped her. "You're a con woman, a cheat, a liar, and a drug user. You only think about yourself, and how things benefit you. You never met my daughters', yet you're trying to get life insurance money? Honestly? I'm ashamed that you are my mother, and I never want to see you again, and if I do, it'll be the last thing you ever do," she warned. "I'd be doing the world a favor, getting rid of a con woman. No one would miss you, and you couldn't ever try to profit off any one else's grief, or anyone else's death. I want you out of town with in the hour," she warned, leaving_

Mac looked up, hearing Jack walk into camp. John, where are they? You moved the guns. Where are they? We had an agreement!

"An agreement that you were about to violate, Jack. Yes, I moved the guns," Locke said.

"Where? Where? Where, John?" Jack said.

"Oh, are you going to start handing them out? How many? Who gets them? How much time before there's an accident? Another accident. I made a mistake teaching Michael how to shoot and now he's... He could be dead for all I know - and that, that was my fault. I take responsibility for that and so, yes, I'm taking responsibility for the guns, too," Locke said.

"I want 2 guns, John!" Jack said.

"I'm sorry, Jack! That's the way it's going to be, Jack!," John said

"Two guns! Now tell me where they are, right now!," Jack said.

Mac and Sayid turned, with the rest of the group, hearing three shots.

"You gave him the guns?" Jack asked.

"No. I hid them," Locke said, shocked.

"That's right, Jack. He's as stupid as you are. You were so busy worrying about each other you never even saw me coming, did you? How about you listen up because I'm only going to say this once. You took my stuff. While I was off trying to get us help - get us rescued - you found my stash and you took it, divvied it up - my shaving cream, my batteries, even my beer. And then something else happened, you decided these two boys here were going to tell you what to do and when to do it. Well, I'm done taking orders. And I don't want my stuff back. The shaving cream don't matter. Batteries don't matter. The only thing that matters now are guns. And if you want one you're going to have to come to me to get it!" Sawyer said, looking at Sayid. "Oh, you want to torture me, don't you? Show everybody how civilized you are. Go ahead, but I'll die before I give them back. And then you'll really be screwed, won't you? New sheriff in town, boys! You all best get used to it."

Mac placed her hand on Sayid's shoulder. "Leave it," she whispered, glancing at Kate. "I'll be over at the tent in a little bit," she said, kissing him going over to Kate. "Let's walk."

Kate nodded, going with her. "You and Sayid seem to be getting closer."

"Yeah," she said with a smile. "I think we just got conned by Sawyer."

Kate nodded. "I get that feeling too," she said.

"He made sure I knew about Sun's attempted kidnapping and that Ana and Jack were building an Army," Mac explained.

"He made a point of making sure I knew about Ana and Jack building up an army too," Kate said. "And he knew that I'd go to Jack."

"And that I'd go to confront Ana. He played us to a tee," Mac said.

"So what are we going to do about it?" Kate asked.

"Bide our time, but right now I think we need to confront Sawyer," Mac said.

"Let's go," Kate said.

"How'd you do it?" Mac asked, approaching him as he's polishing a knife.

"How'd I do what?" Sawyer asked.

"Locke said that he left you in the Hatch when he went to hide the guns, and we know you can't track worth a damn. So, how'd you get them?" Kate asked.

"A magician never tells his secrets," Sawyer said.

"You sure played the game well, Sawyer, I give you that. I never saw it coming," Mac said.

"You played us. You played me. All that stuff you said about Ana Lucia - you knew I'd go to Jack. And you knew I'd ask you to go to Locke," Kate said.

"Now, how in the world would I know all that?" Sawyer asked.

Mac smiled crossing her arms. "Because you're a conman Sawyer. You're only looking out for yourself, and you could care less about the rest of us."

"Did you have anything to do with Sun?" Kate asked.

"Of course he did," Mac said. "He needed a reason to pit Jack and John against each other."

"What kind of person do you think I am?" Sawyer said.

"What kind of a person do I think you are? I don't think this has anything to do with guns, or with getting your stash back! I think you want people to hate you!" Kate said

" Good thing you don't hate me, Freckles," Sawyer said.

"Guess you don't care what I think about you Sawyer," Mac said.

"You're already taken, GI Jane," Sawyer said.

"You're an ass, Sawyer," she said, walking away.

"Why do you have to do this?" Kate said.

"You run. I con. Tiger don't change their stripes," Sawyer said as Kate walked away.

Mac sighed seeing Sayid coming from his tent.

"Sawyer still standing?" he asked.

"Not worth the energy. You taking the radio to Hurley?" she asked.

"Yeah, you want to come?" he asked.

Mac saw Jack and Ana talking. "I have to apologize to Ana. I'll be back," she said, kissing his cheek, walking up. "If I had a white flag, I'd wave it," she said coming up.

"You apologizing too?" Ana asked.

"Yeah," Mac said. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't worry about it," Ana said.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 8**

Mac threw one of Sayid's shirts at him as he was cleaning up. "All sewn up," she told him with a mischievous grin.

"American soldiers always carry a sewing kit in their bags?" he asked, catching it.

Mac grinned. "Are you saying that I'm better prepared than you are?" she quizzed him.

Sayid didn't have time to answer before Ana came up. "Where's Jack?"

"Why?" Sayid asked, standing up.

"I need to talk to Jack," Ana answered.

"So the two of you can continue to make plans for an Army?" Sayid asked. "Let's go, Mac," he said, extending his hand to her.

"I spotted one of the Others near camp," Ana said.

"Show me," Sayid instructed. "I'll meet you back at camp," he said to Mac.

Mac arched an eyebrow. "Yeah, right, like I'm not going. Come on Ana," she said, walking in front of them. Sayid grabbed her elbow, pulling her back behind him.

"There, see," Ana said, pointing to a woman in the distance.

"Go back, Ana, I'll deal with this," Sayid said.

"What?" Ana asked.

"Go back, Ana Lucia. And don't tell anyone what you saw," Sayid informed her. "Mac, come with me," he told her.

Mac nodded, following him so they were in front of the woman.

"What are you doing here, Danielle?" Sayid asked.

The woman looked surprised that they had emerged in front of her. "Looking for you," she answered, looking at Mac.

"Friend of yours, Sayid?" Mac questioned.

"Danielle's the source of the French transmission we intercepted. Danielle, Mac, Mac, Danielle," he introduced, following Danielle. "Where are we going? You said you were looking for me. What was your plan? To hide in the woods hoping I would pass you by?"

"I was going to wait until dark, then find you at your tent," the other woman explained.

"Why?" he asked, stopping abruptly, taking Mac's elbow so she would also stop.

"We need to keep moving," Danielle said.

"Not until you tell me where we're moving to," Sayid conveyed to her.

"Trust me," Danielle implored him.

"The last time we met you arrived to warn us the Others were coming which they weren't. In fact, it was a diversion to kidnap Claire's baby. So pardon me for not trusting you," Sayid informed her

"You took Aaron?" Mac quizzed. "Why in the world are we going with her?" Mac asked.

Sayid looked at Mac. "I'm trying to figure that out."

"This place I'm taking you to - there's something that will help you - something important. As for trust, take this," she said, handing him her rifle. "If I'm lying it's yours to use," she said.

"How much further?" Sayid asked, checking the rifle to see if it was loaded.

"Not far," Danielle said, walking.

Mac glanced at Sayid before starting to follow them again.

_Mac walked into the hospital in Sydney, passing a pregnant woman, going into a hospital room. "Dad…."_

"_Mackenzie," the man said. "I'm glad you came."_

"_I'm not too sure why I'm here, Dad. I don't even know why you called. It's been, what, 16 years since you walked out on us?" Mac said._

"_I walked out on your mother, not you girls," he said. "Come here, let me see you. Catch me up," he said._

_Mac shook her head going closer to him. "Hate to tell you dad, when you don't call, don't write, and don't visit, you walked out on us too. Especially when mom's drug use got bad and I had to raise Jordan and Taylor. Taylor's dead, she was hit by a car several years ago, I'm not sure you knew that. Jordan, the last I heard, was taking drugs, just like mom. And, my two daughters were killed by my ex-husband two years ago. Caught up enough for you?" she asked._

"_Mac, I'm sorry I wasn't there," he said placing his hand on hers. _

"_I'm pretty good at fending for myself, don't need you or anyone else," Mac said, withdrawing her hand from his, spotting a wedding band. "You're married?"_

"_You have a four year old brother, Sean," he announced._

_Mac shook her head. "Unbelievable. You call me because you're dying and you want to make amends, and now you drop this on me? You finally have that boy you wanted," she said, turning to leave._

"_Mackenzie, stop, come back here," her father said._

"_Why? Tell me why the hell I should listen to anything you have to say?" Mac asked, standing close to the door._

"_I can understand you're angry about everything, but Mac if you let the anger eat you up, it's going to destroy you," he said._

_Mac laughed. "You know nothing about me; don't even try to give me fatherly advice, because you have NO right."_

"_At least meet Lydia and Sean, Lydia's wanted to meet you for years. And when I'm gone, she'll need someone to help with Sean," her father said._

"_I've already taken care of two of your children when you decided to walk out, and now that you're dying you want me to help your second wife raise your son? I'm out of the parenting business," Mac said, walking out of the room._

"How much further?" Sayid asked. "Danielle?"

"We're here," Danielle responded.

"And where exactly is here?" Sayid asked.

Mac watched as she uncovered a crossbow and arrows that were hidden nearby. "What in the world?" Mac asked, amazed.

"What is that for, Danielle?" Sayid asked.

Mac turned at a voice yelling, "Help me! Hey, somebody, here!"

Sayid immediately ran towards the voice.

"Wait!" Danielle yelled after him.

"Sayid, wait!" Mac said, also running.

"Help!" the man's voice said.

"Sayid, listen to me," Danielle said.

Mac ran after him, stopping after seeing a man hanging upside down in a net.

"Hey! Hey, over here! Please, help me," the man begged.

"Don't believe a word he says," Danielle said.

"Hey!" the man said.

"He's one of them," Danielle said.

"I have no idea what she's talking about. She's crazy," the man said.

"How long has he been up there, Danielle?" Mac asked.

"Since last night. Please, just cut me down. My name is Henry Gale. I'm from Minnesota. Please," the man pleaded.

"I didn't ask you," Mac said.

"He's lying," Danielle said.

"I'm going to cut him down," Sayid said.

"Don't," Danielle said.

"Sayid, are you sure?" Mac asked.

"Thank you," Gale said.

"You're making a serious mistake," Danielle said.

"It's okay, it's okay. You're alright. You're alright. Hold on. Take it easy," Sayid said.

Danielle prepared a bow and arrow.

"Danielle, what are you doing?" Mac asked.

"No," Gale said running.

"Wait. Danielle, don't!" Sayid said.

Danielle shot him in the shoulder as Sayid ran up to him. Mac grabbed the bow and arrow. "I'll keep hold of this for now."

"You could have killed him," Sayid said.

"If I wanted to kill him, I would have killed him," Danielle snapped.

"You shot this man with no provocation!" Sayid exclaimed.

"He is one of them. Tie him up. You should take him to your doctor. He's no good to you dead," Danielle said.

Mac bent down. "Easy," she said, looking at the wound. "She's right about one thing; Jack needs to look at this. If I pull it out now, I'm not sure I could stop the bleeding."

"And then what Danielle?" Sayid asked, tying him up.

"You talk to him, Sayid. As I recall that is what you do. But know this - he will lie - a long time. He will lie," Danielle said.

Mac looked at him. "Sayid…you can't…"

Sayid stood, helping the man up. "Let's get back to camp."

_Mac sat in the park near the hospital, taking a breath. _

"_Mackenzie?" an Australian female voice asked._

_Mac turned. "Yes? Do I know you?" she challenged._

"_I'm Lydia Grayson," she introduced herself, sitting down on the bench. "Your father said you always liked to come to the park when you're upset. I took a chance."_

"_Well, good for you, managing to find me," Mac said._

"_Your dad didn't think you'd come," Lydia said._

"_I shouldn't have," she answered._

"_I'm glad you did, your father regrets not being in you and your sisters' lives for so long," Lydia said._

"_Yeah, well it's not that hard to pick up a phone, or come visit," Mac said. "Look, Lydia, I'm not sure what bullshit he fed you. But, I haven't heard a word from that man in that hospital room since he walked out on his wife and three daughters, one of who had special needs. If he had perhaps made a phone call or came to visit, he would have seen that I was taking care of my sisters. I had dropped out of high school, and was stealing food and clothing. But, obviously that was too much for him to do," Mac shouted. _

"_I'm sorry; I didn't know him then, if I had…" Lydia began._

"_What, you would have forced him to be a father?" Mac asked, giving a laugh. "I've learned that a man can't be made to care about his children and there's more than one way to hurt your children," she said standing up. "I'm glad that he has you fooled into thinking he's something he's not, but count yourself lucky that he's dying so you won't have to worry about when he's going to walk out on you and your kid," she declared, starting to walk away._

"_You're so angry," Lydia said. "Give him a chance to prove he's changed."_

_Mac laughed, turning to look at her. _

"_People don't change, Lydia. They can hide who and what they are, but given a chance, they show who they really are."_

Mac walked to the beach to get Jack after Sayid had taken Gale into the hatch. "Jack, you're needed at the hatch."

Jack looked up. "What's going on Mac?"

"Some woman named Danielle captured some guy in a net in the forest. He's injured, Sayid brought him to the hatch," Mac explained.

"Who is this guy?" Jack asked, standing him.

"Claims he comes from Minnesota, Danielle believes he's one of the Others," Mac said. "Suggested Sayid get the truth from him."

"You mean by torture?" Jack guessed shrewdly.

"Yeah, I don't like the idea much myself," Mac admitted, going with him.

"You going to be ok coming to the hatch?" Jack asked.

"Hatch yes, armory not even going near it," Mac said.

Jack nodded, going to the hatch. "What the hell's going on here?" Jack asked, coming in.

"Rousseau trapped him in the jungle. She believes he's an Other," Sayid explained.

"I filled him in on that much," Mac said, staying by the door.

"An Other what?" Gale asked.

"You know you have a bad habit of talking when you aren't being talked too," Mac said.

"You shot him with an arrow?" Jack asked, going over to him.

"Do I have a bow?" Sayid asked.

"Hey, hey, you with me?" Jack asked him before looking at Sayid. "What, you were just going to let him bleed to death?"

"I was trying to get honest answers while he was able to give them. And his wound is far from life threatening," Sayid answered.

"We should let Jack treat him first, then we'll get our answers," Locke suggested.

"Jack, do not untie him," Sayid warned, walking out of the hatch. Mac turned and walked out with him.

"What are you planning to do?" Mac asked.

"What needs to be done to get answers," Sayid answered.

"You mean torturing him?" Mac asked.

Sayid gazed at her. "You know what I did," he answered.

"Yes what you did, not what you do," Mac answered. "There's got to be a better way."

"If you know a better way, then tell me, otherwise, it's what needs to be done. For the safety of everyone here," Sayid said.

Mac looked at him. "Damn it, Sayid, I don't know. But, what I do know, is people don't change," she informed him, walking away, with the intention of going to talk to Libby.

She stopped short, seeing Libby and Hurley talking.

"Hey, Mac, come over," Libby called to her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," she stated, coming over.

Libby looked at her. "You ok?" she asked, concerned.

"Yeah, fine," she answered. "The two of you look like you're busy, I'll be going," Mac stated, starting to turn around.

Hurley stood up. "It's ok, I need to go help Sawyer with something," he stated, excusing himself.

"Sit down," Libby instructed her, moving her bag out of the way. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," Mac answered, moving her hair out of her eyes. "When I boarded our plane, I had spent years depending and looking out for myself. I had convinced myself that I didn't need or want anyone to care about me. Then we crashed, and I found myself fighting to survive. I didn't think about it, I just went into action."

"You saved Nathan's life," Libby pointed out.

"I know," she answered, putting her head on her knees. "But it's not what happened out there, Libby, it's what happened since we came here."

"Sayid?" Libby questioned.

Mac nodded. "I don't understand it," she stated.

"Understand what?" Libby questioned. "Feelings for him?"

"I don't fall hard, this fast. It just doesn't happen, not to me," she explained. "And I certainly don't get angry and flustered because I don't agree with a decision he's made."

Libby put her arm around Mac. "It happens to the best of us, unexpected and sometimes unwanted. It also happens fast," she told her friend.

"Not to me," Mac informed her.

"This time, it did and denying it isn't going to make it change," Libby told her.

Mac sighed. "Thanks for the encouragement," she answered sarcastically.

Libby laughed. "Hey, that's what friends are for - to point out things we don't want to face. Whatever you're upset about with him, you need to discuss it with him, get it out in the open. Otherwise, it's going to destroy the relationship you're building, whether you like it or not, that's what is happening."

Mac stood up. "Yeah, and that's what I'm afraid of," she stated, walking away.

_Mac walked into the hospital room. "How are you feeling?" she questioned._

"_You came back," her father whispered._

"_I'm just saying goodbye, I booked a flight to LA leaving tomorrow," Mac explained._

"_I was hoping you'd stay," he admitted._

"_Yeah, well I hoped that you'd walk back into my life after you left mom, but we can't always get what we want," Mac advised him. _

"_You aren't going to forgive me are you?" he quizzed her._

"_I'm not in the forgiveness business, Dad. You've got to be able to live with the decisions you made," Mac informed him. She went over and kissed his head. "If this cancer goes into remission, make sure you don't make the same mistakes with Sean that you did with us. Please, for him," she begged._

"_You turned out amazing," he complimented her._

"_The Army will do that to you," she informed him. "Goodbye dad," she stated, as she walked out of the room, and out of his life._

Mac gazed into the fire sitting down on the beach in the dark.

"Mind if I join you?" Sayid questioned.

"Go ahead," she answered. Mac looked at him. "What happened with Gale?"

"He claims that he crashed in a balloon, with his wife, and that she died due to her injuries," Sayid answered, looking at the ocean.

"You don't believe him?" she questioned.

"No," he simply stated.

"You tortured him?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," he answered honestly. He moved closer to her, kissing her. "I am sorry this is a problem for you."

"Sayid, you told me that you regretted what you did during the war but the first opportunity you needed to get information, you resort to torture. And, it seemed so easy for you. The look in your eyes, it scared me," she whispered.

Sayid took her face in his hands. "Do you know what I think of when I look at him?" he questioned, his voice quivering.

"No," she answered.

"How close I came to have never met you, because they tried to take you. I felt no guilt for what I did to him because he is one of them, he is responsible for death, and kidnappings. I told you the truth when I said I regret what I have done," he whispered to her. "But I have something special to protect, and I will do everything in my power to protect it."

Mac looked at him. "Me?"

"Yes," he answered honestly.

Mac smiled, touching his face. "Let's go back to your tent," she stated, kissing him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 9**

***please review, please please please please!**

Mac walked on the beach early in the morning, holding Sayid's hand. "You heading down to the hatch?" she questioned.

Sayid nodded. "Yes."

"I'm not going to lie and say that I'm comfortable with the idea of what is going on down there, Sayid," Mac informed him, laying her head on his shoulder.

Sayid brushed his lips against her hair. "I would be worried if you were comfortable with it. I'm not comfortable with it," Sayid told her. "I won't tell you what occurs down there, it isn't necessary."

"Do you honestly believe Gale is going to tell you the truth? He has stuck with this story since yesterday, and you spent an incredible amount of time with him in the hatch yesterday," Mac reminded him, squeezing his hand.

"It just means that he is a skilled liar," Sayid informed her. "Do not waste your time or energy being concerned about him."

Mac looked up at him. "It's not him I'm concerned about Sayid, it's you."

Sayid met her gaze. "Why?"

"Do you really have to ask me that? I'm concerned because of what you're doing to him, is going to do to you," Mac stated. "I believe you when you say that he's one of them but I don't want to see this destroy you."

Sayid stopped walking and kissed her. "As long as I keep you safe, I will be fine," he whispered, kissing her again. "I must go," Sayid informed her leaving.

_Mac sat back in the chair, crossing her arms, looking at Sgt Austen. "Dismissed," she told him as Inman walked in. Mac took several deep breaths as the Sergeant walked out, looking at Inman. "You and I need to have a talk," she informed him._

"_When I have the time, I'll make sure to put that top of my list," Inman told her. _

_Mac stood up, and walked over to him. "I think you misunderstood that as a request, it wasn't. Sit down. Now," Mac growled at him._

_Inman laughed at her, looking down at her. "Yeah I'm really scared of you little girl," he informed her turning around._

_Mac pulled out her gun pointing it at his back, taking off the safety. "Give me a reason to do it, Inman," Mac told him._

_Inman turned around. "You're not going to use that, you aren't man enough. Oh wait, you aren't a man, are you? That's what's wrong with the United States Military these days, they send little girls in to do a man's job," he informed her, grabbing her wrist._

_Mac dropped the gun, bringing up her knee to his crotch, him doubling over in pain. "You aren't much of a man either, now," she said, taking him over to the chair. "Now, you are going to sit there and you are going to listen. You took one of MY prisoners, and you used MY men, to get information out of another prisoner. And you taught this prisoner how to torture a man to get that information!" she screamed at him._

"_You wanted the body of our pilot back didn't you?" Inman asked._

"_Not this way!" she screamed at him. "This wasn't your choice to make. This isn't your command Inman. You're CIA, I have to tolerate you but I don't have to put up with your illegal ways," Mac informed him. "One of my men is over at your tent packing up your things as we speak. You're going to be on the next helicopter out of here."_

"_You can't do that," he stated, looking up at her._

"_Yes I can and I am," Mac told him. "I've already made my report. I'm not going to take the blame for your actions."_

_Inman stood up. "This is war, we do what has to be done."_

"_Not this way," Mac informed him. "If I ever meet the prisoner you forced to torture his commanding officer, I'm going to beg his forgiveness. Now get out of my sight before I use the gun on you," she warned him._

Mac filled up the water bottles, looking up as Eko stopped behind her. "Eko, how's your church coming?" she questioned.

"It's coming, Mackenzie. May we talk?" he asked.

"Of course," she answered. "What's up?"

"The man in the hatch, is he one of them?" Eko questioned.

Mac looked at him. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, Eko. I haven't been in the hatch in days."

"Please do not lie to me, Mackenzie," he implored her.

Mac took a sip of water. "There are people who think he is."

"But you don't?" Eko questioned.

"I'm not sure what I think," she answered honestly. "Why are you asking Eko?"

"I want to apologize to him," he answered.

Mac stared at him. "Apologize? Eko, have you forgotten what they did to us? That they came into our camp, stole people for us, and infiltrated our group with one of there own."

"I have not forgotten," he assured her.

"Then why in the world would you want to apologize?" she questioned.

"To relieve my guilt," he responded.

"Your guilt? Did you walk into there camp, kidnap them, attack them?" she demanded. "No you didn't. And over here, they kidnapped a pregnant woman and did God only knows what to her and the baby, and you feel guilt?" she asked, in amazement.

"I killed two of them," he gently reminded her.

"I killed one of them when they tried to kidnap me. Then I killed Goodwin, and if we hadn't we would have been taken," she told him, putting her hand on his arm.

Eko placed his hand over hers. "You were trained as a soldier, you were trained to kill."

Mac shook her head in disbelief. "Do you think that makes it any easier? It doesn't," she assured him. "Eko, we did what we did to survive. And, for that, I'm not going to feel guilty, and neither should you."

"Will you see if I can talk with him?" he questioned.

Mac tilted her head. "Why do you think I'd be able to get you in there?" she questioned. "I haven't been in the hatch for several days."

"You can talk with Sayid," he simply answered.

Mac laughed. "So you want me to use my relationship with Sayid so you can clear your conscious?" she questioned. "Sorry, Eko. You're going to have to ask Jack and Locke if you want access to the prisoner. And, before you go down there, let me set you straight on one thing. Don't ever come and try to use my relationship with anyone to get me to do something," she informed him, storming off.

_Mac sat in her tent pouring herself a drink, taking a breath, drinking it, laying in her cot._

"_You aren't one to break rules," Sgt Austen commented coming in._

"_There seems to be a lot of breaking rules and protocols today, thought I'd join in," she stated passing him the bottle._

_He took a swig, sitting down on the other cot. "You can't let this eat you up, it needed to be done, and it did get results."_

_Mac shot him a look taking the bottle. "I'm tired of people telling me it needed to be done. No one should be made do what he was made to do. He'll have to live with it forever Sgt Austen. We invaded there country, we're fighting them, we're trying to take over throw there dictator, and now we're turning them against each other. If you don't have an issue with that, then you aren't the person I thought you were."_

"_Mac, you're young, and idealistic, I was once too. You have to do things in war that you would never think was possible," he explained. "And, that means sometimes you have to close your heart to it."_

"_You mean not feel anything?" Mac asked dismayed. _

_He nodded. "I know it's easier said then done, but sometimes it's better not to think about the enemy."_

_Mac sat up in from the cot. "Maybe you were wrong about me, Austen. Maybe I wasn't meant to be in charge, because I can't just pretend these aren't people."_

"_If the two of you met in the battle field, he wouldn't see you as a person, he'd see you as the enemy, he'd shoot first and then, if you survived, you'd become his prisoner. Do you think he wouldn't do anything to get the information he needed," he told her. "I don't believe I was wrong."_

_Mac handed him the bottle. "Is it that easy for you?"_

_Sgt. Austen took it, taking a swig. "It's easier then to look at them and have a hint of sympathy for them."_

"_You mean like I did when I insisted that you feed the prisoners in accordance with the Geneva Convention," Mac stated._

"_First command, you're bound and determined to follow rules to the tee, and sometimes in war, you have to bend them," he explained, standing up. "The important thing is know you are doing what is necessary to keep you and your troops safe."_

Mac sighed leaning against a tree, turning hearing Jack. "I take it you're here to ask me if I told Eko there was someone in the hatch. Before you waist your breath, I didn't tell him, he knew."

Jack nodded. "You know I had to ask."

Mac shrugged. "You want to keep Gale's presence a secret, but how long do you think that's going to be possible Jack?"

Jack nodded. "We just need to keep it quiet until we get some information."

"How is that going?" Mac questioned.

"Not well," he admitted. "Sayid's been at him for awhile this morning," Jack updated her, glancing at her.

"You expect me to be able to talk him out of it Jack?" Mac asked shaking her head. "I think you know him well enough to know he's going to do what he wants. And you've known him longer," Mac informed him. "Sorry Jack, but he's going to have to do what he needs to do and live with it," she told him, storming off.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 10**

Mac joined Ana Lucia running on the beach.

"Mind if I join you?" Mac questioned.

"Free beach," Ana replied, not missing a step.

"We haven't had a chance to talk since…" she started to say, but stopped when Ana held up her hand.

"Since you accused me of having something to do with the attack on Sun - I told you not to worry about it," she replied.

"I know, but I think I need to try to explain," Mac stated, keeping up with Ana.

"Nothing to explain," the other woman responded. "You've taken sides," she accused.

Mac sighed. "Ana, believe me that isn't what's going on."

"Really?" Ana asked, turning and stopping. "Then please tell me what's happening? While we were fighting for our lives, these people were building golf courses and taking showers."

"Ana, we've been through this, we were all on that plane together. We're not enemies," she tried to explain. "I can never thank you enough for keeping us safe, but I'm not going to hold it against Sayid or anyone else for not being in the tail section. I wanted to apologize for accusing you, and tell you something."

Ana started running again. "What?"

Mac sighed, starting to run again just to keep up with her. "Is that Locke by your tent?"

"What the hell does he want?" she questioned, obviously annoyed.

Mac inhaled, shaking her head. "I think I know," she answered, catching up with her.

"You were running like the devil's chasing you," Locke stated.

"Maybe he is," Ana replied.

"Good for you, keeping in shape," Locke commented. "Mac," he greeted.

"Locke," Mac simply answered.

"What do you want, Locke?" Ana questioned.

"What do I want?" Locke repeated.

"I've been here over a week - you've never said 2 words to me. And now you're sitting outside my tent?" Ana pointed out.

"Mac, can you excuse us?" Locke asked.

"No, she stays. I have a feeling that she has an idea what you are doing here," she answered.

"You planned on telling her?" Locke inquired.

"I was about ready to discuss it," she answered. "But since you seem to want to tell her so bad, go ahead," Mac stated, crossing her arms.

"We've got a man locked up down in the Hatch. There's a possibility he's one of them - the Others," Locke explained.

"Who's we?" Ana questioned.

"Me and Jack. He's keeping watch right now," Locke responded.

"You knew about this?" Ana questioned Mac.

Mac nodded. "The woman you saw and pointed out to Sayid, Danielle, she caught him, Sayid and I brought him in."

Ana glared at her. "And there isn't taking sides? Three days? So what do you want Locke?" Ana asked, turning her attention to Locke.

"I'd like you to talk with him. You have experience with the Others. You were a cop. Seems to me you're the most qualified to figure out if this man's telling the truth," Locke stated.

"What about Mac? She was a soldier," Ana pointed out.

"I'm not a big fan of small spaces, Locke knows that," Mac answered for him.

"Does Jack know you're coming to me with this?" Ana asked, folding her arms.

"We've got a serious problem, Ana Lucia - all of us. I'm taking the necessary steps to solve it. I don't need Jack's permission to talk with you because right now there's a man sitting in a room in my hatch, and I want him out," Locke answered.

"Your hatch?" Mac questioned. "For some reason I thought it belonged to all of us," she accused. She turned to Ana. "You think I'm taking sides? Locke is using you for his own purpose. Whatever you do it's up to you, but think about it," she said, shaking her head, leaving.

_Mac filled up a box of her daughters' toys, sitting on Sofia's bed holding a baby Minnie Mouse, and closing her eyes._

"_Hey…." a voice whispered from the door._

_Mac opened her eyes. "Jordan….."_

_Jordan walked over and sat on the bed, taking her into a hug. "I'm not leaving so don't even ask me to."_

_Mac pulled away slightly. "What are you doing here?"_

_Jordan touched her older sister's face. "You don't need to be alone, you shouldn't be alone. I let you order me out of your life after Taylor's death, which I totally understand. I messed up, but this time, I'm staying here, helping you."_

"_Did mom call you?" she hissed._

"_Mom? She's been here? I haven't talked to mom in years," Jordan explained. "A man named Mason found me in Germany, sent some high ranking Military Police guy to come get me. My first thought was something happened to you.""He didn't have a right to contact you," Mac answered._

"_Well I'm glad he did. I'm not leaving!" Jordan exclaimed. "You can hold a grudge, blame me for Taylor's death, I do. But, you are not going to do this alone. You are not packing up this room, putting the memories in a box and forgetting about them."_

"_You think I'd forget about my daughters? I'd never," she answered._

"_When was the last time you talked to anyone about Taylor?" Jordan asked, accusingly._

"_What?" _

"_When was the last time you sat down and talked to anyone about Taylor? Do you tell people you only have one sister?" she questioned. "I know you; you've always closed yourself off when something bad happens. You pretend those you lost just stopped existing. I don't care if you pretend I don't exist, but those two girls of yours, they deserve more than that."_

Mac stopped at Claire's tent peeking in on Aaron. "He feeling better?" Mac asked Claire.

"Very much so," Claire answered, smiling. "I was worried."

Mac nodded, coming in. "I remember the first time Sofia got sick," she stated. "I drove like a maniac to get her to the on base hospital, just to be told it was a cold."

Claire smiled. "Did you just accept it?"

Mac nodded. "I wasn't happy about it and I was sure the doctor was a quack but of course he was right. You did what any mother would do when her baby gets sick the first time, or even the second time. Well for that matter any time," she stated, laughing. "How are things with Charlie?"

"I'm letting it go for now," she answered stiffly. "You and Sayid?"

Mac sighed, sitting down. "I'm not sure. I've always been the person to think about everything I do. I don't make friends easily, I don't trust people easily, and I don't fall in love easily."

"You and I are friends, at least I hope so," Claire suggested.

Mac smiled, touching the other woman's hand. "We are, but before we crashed, I wouldn't have talked to you this easily. And, I would have missed out making a friend."

"You would have missed out meeting Sayid," the other woman countered.

Mac nodded. "Yeah," she agreed. "But my track record isn't that great on men."

"Mine neither," Claire admitted. "Where is your daughters' father?"

Mac looked at her. "Serving two life sentences' for killing Sofia and Paige. I finally got the nerve to file for divorce after years of being abused, and two weeks later he took a gun and shot both of the girls to get even with me. Please don't say you're sorry, I've heard that so many times."

"He should have been given the death penalty," Claire stated firmly.

"I asked for it to be taken off the table. I've killed people before, mostly in war, and it doesn't feel good. I wanted to be able to face him anytime I wanted to, to look at his face anytime I wanted to, and to confront him," she explained. "I found that easier said than done. After the first six months after his trial, I stayed in Washington DC, where it happened, and then I took off, just to forget," she explained.

"Why were you in Australia?" Claire questioned.

"My dad is sick. I hadn't talked to him in ages, he asked me to come and visit. I guess to make amends before it was too late," she answered. "I wasn't really open to it then, but now I wish I had."

"Maybe you'll have a chance when we get out of here," she offered.

"I hope so," she answered.

_Mac came out of her bedroom spotting Jordan sitting on the couch going through her things. "What are you doing?"_

_Jordan looked up. "Remember when we were kids and we were having a bad day, you'd pop in Cinderella and we'd watch it?"_

"_We're not kids anymore," she pointed out. "Popping in a movie and curling up on the couch isn't going to make everything ok."_

"_It didn't when we were kids either, but for that moment, it made us forget," she commented. "I don't know what to do for you," she offered._

"_Jordan, I don't need you to do anything for me," Mac informed her._

_Jordan stood up going over to her sister. "Mac, please don't do this. You need to rely on someone. If you need someone to beat up on, I'm here. Yell at me, cuss at me, do something, but don't cut yourself off."_

_Mac shook her head. "I'm not like you, I don't show emotion, I can't show emotion. I am a major in the Army."_

"_You are also a mother whose two daughters were murdered by her ex-husband. I think the Army would forgive you for weakness," she said._

"_You still on drugs?" Mac asked accusingly. _

_Jordan sighed. "Another Mackenzie trick, turning accusations on those trying to help. It's not going to work," she informed her. "I've been clean for three months, not a whole lot of the time, but it's a start. I've noticed you been hitting the whiskey bottle a little bit more then you should."_

"_You a doctor now?" Mack hissed. _

"_No, I'm concerned for my older sister," Jordan responded. "I'm watching her self-destruct, and it's hard for me to watch."_

"_Then leave," she told her. "I think I made it pretty clear, I don't need you or anyone else."_

_Jordan shrugged. "Insult me, but I'm still not leaving, so want to make some popcorn so we can watch Cinderella?"_

Mac gathered wood, turning when she heard footsteps, shielding her eyes from the sun. "Sayid."

"You shouldn't be out of here alone," he pointed out, bending down to help her.

Mac sighed. "I still have a perfect line of sight on the camp, clear beach area around me. I'm not new at this."

"I know," Sayid answered.

"Did you get anything out of him?" she questioned.

Sayid shook his head. "He is skilled at keeping up a lie."

"Eko and Jack came to see me," she informed him.

"What about?" he questioned.

"You," she answered.

"Me?" Sayid asked obviously confused. "What about me?"

"Gale," she simply answered.

"They should not be coming to you about what I do, you are not my keeper," Sayid informed her.

"I tried telling them that," Mac replied. "It's typical though, it is common knowledge we are involved, and sometimes people do have influence over the other, though I've never had that kind of relationship with anyone before, but I've heard that it does happen."

Sayid touched her face. "You do have influence over me," he said.

"Just not over this matter," she replied. "I don't expect you to be influenced by me, we haven't known each other that long."

"I told you how I feel," he reminded her, moving closer. "If you don't want me to go back to the hatch, I won't. I never want to put you in a position that you feel like you have to defend me or make excuses for what I'm doing. Jack tried to make you feel guilty about what I was doing, didn't he?" Sayid questioned.

"Yes, but I told him that I wasn't responsible," Mac replied.

"You aren't," he agreed. "Do you want me to remove myself from the hatch?"

Mac sighed, standing. "Sayid, what you do is your business. I'm not telling you what to do or what not to do. You need to be able to live with what you're doing."

Sayid stood, kissing her. "When I tortured Sawyer, I felt guilt, I left the camp. That is when I met Danielle. This is different, because I know he's guilty."

Mac nodded. "I understand those instincts; maybe that's why I find it easy not to think about what you're doing. I want to talk to him."

Sayid shook his head. "That isn't a good idea, Mac. He's in the armory, and you have a fear of small spaces. You know as well as I do that you can't show weakness in front of the enemy."

Mac leaned against a tree. "I just feel like I should be doing something more."

He took her face into both of his hands. "You are an important part of this camp. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses and we have to be able to learn when we have to let others do things we aren't comfortable with. I will do my best to get the truth out of him but I don't need to worry about you being down there with him."

"I don't mind if people take charge, I actually don't like being in charge. But I do have a problem when I know I can be of some use," she pointed out.

"You are being of use, just somewhere else. You don't have to do everything," he told her, kissing her. "I was going to go work on something, come with me?"

"Yeah," Mac answered.

_Jordan knocked on Mac's door. "Hey it's me," she called before coming in._

_Mac looked up, holding her pistol in her hand unable to hide it in time._

"_What in…Mac…what are you doing?" Jordan asked her, racing over to the bed. "Give me the gun."_

"_Stay out of this, Jordan," Mac told her._

"_You're in your room, with a gun in your hand and you want me to stay out of it?" her sister asked. "No way," she said, holding out her hand. "Give it to me. Please. I can't lose you too."_

_Mac looked at her. "Jordan, don't try making me feel guilty about wanting to kill myself. I lost my daughters."_

"_I realize that, Mac," she replied touching her cheek. "But you have too much to do, too much to fight for still," she reminded her. "Do you want that SOB to get off for killing the girls? Let me tell you that a devastated mother is the best evidence," Jordan informed her. "You are not a quitter, Mac and this is the easy way out."_

"_Who are you to tell me what I should be doing or feeling?" Mac questioned. "You don't have children," she hissed._

_Jordan shook her head. "No, I don't, but I have a sister who was born to be a mother and without her in my life to keep me straight I screw up. Mac, I know those girls were your life, and you know that you have to fight for them."_

"_I don't know if I can," she answered, laying the gun on the bed._

_Jordan grabbed it, taking a breath. "You have never had a quitting attitude."_

"_I never lost two daughters before," she hissed._

_Jordan touched her sister's face. "I know, sweetheart. You have always carried the world on your shoulders and with a mother like ours, I totally understand. I know that I let you down with Taylor, I was a bad sister. But now, you need me and I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to let you kick me out of your life again. Not this time and not this way. I'm staying until after the trial, and no matter what you say or do, you aren't going to get rid of me. And this," she said holding up the gun, "you're going to have to talk to someone about. Professionally." _

"_No," she answered quickly._

"_You don't have a choice, Mac. This is something you can't handle on your own, something that you shouldn't handle on your own. Doesn't the Army have someone you can talk to?" she questioned._

_Mac let out a laugh. "Yeah that will look real good on my file, a major who needs to see a shrink."_

"_Excuse me? You're really not worried about what the Army is going to think are you? If they don't understand you lost two daughters and have every right to be depressed and suicidal, then they need to go take a flying leap. You are human," she pointed out. "Though sometimes, I doubted that growing up," she teased._

_Mac shook her head. "Funny."_

"_I thought so," Jordan answered with a grin._

Mac brought over bamboo to Charlie and Sayid.

"A bit large for a dining room table, isn't it?" Charlie asked.

"If we cut them in two, it will suit the purpose," Sayid answered.

"Sayid, can I talk to you?" Ana asked, entering.

"Of course," Sayid answered, handing Charlie a bamboo piece.

"Alone?" Ana questioned.

"Whatever you need to say, you can say it here," Sayid stated.

"It's about the hatch," she replied.

"You mean the guy locked in the closet there? What about him?" Charlie asked.

Ana handed Sayid a map. "It's to his balloon."

"How did you get him to do this?" Sayid questioned.

"I asked nicely," Ana said pointedly.

"Do Jack and Locke know about this?" Sayid questioned.

"Jack and Locke are a little too busy worrying about Locke and Jack. All I want to know is if this guy's telling the truth," she replied.

"Why come to me?" Sayid questioned.

"Do you believe him?" Mac questioned, coming over and taking the map.

"Judging from what you did to his face that's what you want, too," Ana said.

"This is at least a day's walk," Sayid answered.

"Then we should get going," Ana answered.

Mac shook her head. "Not you Ana," she said.

"Excuse me?" Ana questioned.

Sayid looked at Mac. "You're going to stay here, Mac is going to come with me."

"I got the map, I'm going," Ana informed both of them.

Mac shook her head. "Think about it, Ana. If both you and Sayid go, then the two people who can intimidate Gayle are taken out of the picture. And as Sayid pointed out earlier, I don't do small spaces well, which means, if I did go down there I show weakness. You just said yourself Jack and Locke are playing a power trip, so one of you needs to stay here. I'll leave that decision up to you two who goes, but one of you is staying," Mac informed them, leaving to get her bag.

_Jordan passed Mac a bowl of popcorn. "So, what's going on between you and Mason?"_

_Mac took a handful of popcorn. "I'm his commanding officer and we're both married," she remarked._

"_Want to try to answer me truthfully this time?" Jordan asked._

_Mac sighed. "We've been having an affair for about six months. It's against the rules, both of us are married, and I'm his commanding officer."_

"_One of the many reasons I couldn't be in the army, but I'm surprised: you hardly ever broke a rule unless it was for Taylor and my survival," the younger woman noted._

"_Robert was accusing me of having an affair for years, which I wasn't. It's not an excuse for what I did," Mac replied._

"_Robert's an ass, always has been. He abused you for years, took a gun to his own daughters to get back at you for leaving him. Those are the actions of a selfish individual. Mason seems to really care for you," she stated._

"_It's over," Mac stated._

"_You're letting Robert ruin this too?" she questioned._

_Mac shook her head. "I'm not able to run my life at the moment, let alone have another person involved. Mason was a friend that I let get past whatever defenses I had built up. Believe me, it won't happen again."_

Mac handed Sayid his bag as he walked up. "Thought you'd win," she simply stated. "Charlie's coming."

Sayid took his bag glancing at her. "Why?"

"Because he asked," she replied. "And because he needed to feel like he is doing something useful again."

Sayid nodded, starting to walk. "You made a good point to Ana about one of us staying behind."

Mac shrugged. "Occasionally, I do have one of those. When you're in command as long as I was, you think of what obstacles could occur when you send people out on reconnaissance missions like this. Of course you don't need me to tell you that. Anyway, I'm helping the group."

Sayid nodded. "So you do listen," he teased, taking her hand kissing it.

"Occasionally," she answered, smiling. "Charlie, slow down!" she yelled after him.

"He should not have come," Sayid stated, picking up his pace to catch up with him.

"He needed to feel useful, just like everyone else, Sayid," she pointed out, picking up her pace, both of them catching up as Charlie stumbled at the creek. Mac grabbed for him. "You okay?"

"I'm alright. Thanks," Charlie answered, as they continued walking.

"That cliff there appears to be this, "Sayid commented pointing out a spot on the map.

Mac took the map. "Gale seems to be telling the truth."

"Pointing out a geographical touchstone does not mean he's leading us to a balloon," Sayid pointed out.

"Maybe not, but we're on the right track," she responded, shaking her head as Sayid walked off.

"Humor's not his strong suit," Charlie pointed out.

"He's got a lot of things on his mind," Mac pointed out, walking. "Charlie, wait," she stated.

Charlie stopped turning around. "Yeah?"

"Mind giving me the gun?" Mac questioned.

"My what?" he asked, playing dumb.

"The gun in your pants. I'm not even going to ask how you got it, I don't care. What I do care is if something does happen, that gun is in the hand of someone who knows how to use it," Mac pointed out.

"Last time you said anything to me, you threatened me. Do you think I'll just hand it over to you?" he questioned.

"That's enough," Sayid stated.

Charlie pulled out the gun, acting like he was going to hand it to Mac then handed it to Sayid. "I trust him."

"I said enough," Sayid informed him. "She's not one of the others, she was on our plane," he warned. "We'll go as far as the base of the cliff and we'll camp there."

"Sayid, you're only defending her because you're sleeping with her," Charlie said accusingly.

Mac held her hand up to stop Sayid from saying anything. "Charlie, trust me, don't trust me, that's your choice, but remember I'm not the one who set the camp on fire," she said, leaving.

_Jordan leaned on the side of the bathroom door. "Mason called again."_

_Mac washed her hair. "Did you tell him I wasn't talking to anyone?"_

"_The same thing I've told him the last ten times he's called. You need to talk to him, tell him whatever you need to. He's not taking it from me," she declared._

"_You're just going to have to keep at it," Mac informed her stepping out of the shower, grabbing a robe. "I'm not talking to him."_

_Jordan sighed. "Mac, do you realize you're doing what you always do?"_

"_And what exactly is that?" Mac hissed._

"_Shutting yourself off," she countered. "When something tragic happens in your life, you cut yourself off from anyone who cares about you. You feel like you have to deal with everything on your own. You did it when Taylor died, when dad walked out, and now you're doing it again. It's like you have to be alone to hold on to the anger," she said, tilting her head. "That's it, isn't it? You feel like if you let go and rely on someone, then you can't hold on to the anger."_

_Mac looked at her. "Don't try to figure me out, Jordan, I've been trying for years, and I still don't understand myself."_

Mac looked over at Charlie, who was sitting by himself, as she threw a stick on the fire.

"He should not have said what he did," Sayid informed her, interrupting her thoughts.

Mac looked at him. "Ana feels the same way about you and the other survivors' that Charlie feels about me. Maybe they have a point, and we are the ones fooling ourselves."

"You don't believe that any more than I do," Sayid challenged her.

Mac sighed. "There was a time that I would have felt the way they do."

Sayid nodded his head in agreement. "So would I. Trust has to be earned," he reminded her, kissing her shoulder.

Mac looked at him. "What did I do to earn your trust so easily?"

Sayid smiled. "I don't have an answer to that, but I do know I trust you," he informed her, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

Mac looked at him, kissing him softly. "We should get some sleep."

Mac woke up to discover Sayid packing his bag already. "Morning."

"Morning," he replied, kissing her. "We need to get moving."

Mac looked up at the sky. "It looks like it's going to rain."

Sayid nodded, handing Mac her bag. "Let's go."

"Morning! Who wants breakfast? I have papayas and papayas," Charlie said entering the opening.

"Let's go," Sayid responded walking off.

"Right, why eat?" Charlie questioned.

Mac took a papaya out of Charlie's hand. "Sayid, head's up," she called after him, throwing him a papaya. "Keep your strength up," she said. "Thanks Charlie," she stated, walking with him.

"You've got him on a short chain," Charlie pointed out.

Mac grabbed Charlie's elbow, causing him to stop. "Excuse me?" she asked, lowering her voice.

"He didn't argue with you when you told him to eat, anyone else he would have snapped their heads off for even suggesting it. You have him trained," Charlie repeated.

"You're lucky that Sayid didn't hear you say that, or you'd be eating sand again. Actually, I may still punch you," Mac warned. "As soldiers', both of us know how important it is to keep our strength up. We respect each other's advice in those matters because we are trained. We both are quite aware how focused we can be on a mission, so we watch out for each other in that way. Understood?"

"If you want to believe that's all it is," Charlie responded.

Mac glared at him. "I didn't say that was all there was to it, but one of the main reasons we'll listen to each other's advice when no one else can get through to us, is because of our similar backgrounds. But, hey, if you want to keep talking like that and risk letting Sayid hear you, go right ahead," she hissed, walking away.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 11**

***Please review!***

Mac pulled her hood up as it started raining, walking over to Sayid, taking the map off of him.

"This is it," Sayid said, looking at the map with her.

"This balloon would be rather large, right?" Charlie questioned.

"Why am I not surprised?" Sayid answered.

"Charlie's right, it would be rather be big," Mac pointed out.

"This is where he said it would be," Sayid insisted.

Mac placed her hand on his. "Sayid, if I'm going to go back and tell Ana we didn't find anything, I need to be sure. I need to be able to tell her we searched thoroughly."

"I'll divide the area into 3 grids, so search as thoroughly as you please," he answered, kissing her hand.

"Thank you," she replied with a smile.

"Charlie, here," Sayid said, handing him a piece of the map. He watched him go, and then looked at her. "What went on back there between the two of you?"

"I had to set him straight on something," she answered.

"What?" he questioned.

"He just commented on how you didn't argue with me when I told you to eat the Papaya to keep up strength," Mac explained, sighing. "Maybe we should think about slowing things down, everyone is making assumptions."

Sayid touched her face. "I don't want to slow it down," he informed her emphatically. "Do you?"

"No," Mac answered truthfully. "Give me my part of the grid," she instructed.

_Mac put her glass on the bar. "Another one," she told the bartender. She watched as the bartender fixed her another rum and coke, taking out the money to pay for it._

"_I got this darlin'," a male's voice said from behind her, paying for it. _

_Mac turned, looking at the man. "I can buy my own drinks, thanks."_

"_You look like you could use a friend, Pigtails," he commented, sitting down. "Truth be told, I can't stand seeing an attractive female drinking alone in a bar."_

_Mac sighed. "Look, I'll make this easy for you. I just buried my sister this afternoon, and I'm not looking to be picked up. I'm looking to drown my sorrow in a few drinks, and then I'm calling a cab and going home alone."_

_The blonde man shook his head. "Usually, I'd be flattered at the thought you'd think that I was picking you up, and usually I would be, but I just broke up with someone special. So I came in here to get a drink, and I saw you drinking alone, looking like you need a friend more than I do. I'm not usually so thoughtful, you caught me on a good day," he said, lighting up a cigarette, offering her one. "James," he introduced._

_Mac waved off the cigarette. "That's an awful, nasty habit," she informed him._

"_I have an awful lot of them, Pigtails, this is one of the more healthier ones," he told her. "I'm sorry about your sister, but shouldn't you be with your family? Your parents? They're probably hurting as much as you are."_

_Mac rolled her eyes downing the drink. "My sister was my family," she informed him. "Since you're paying, how about another one?"_

"_Careful, Pigtails, or I'm going to think you're trying to pick _me_ up," the man teased her, ordering her another drink. "You don't look like someone who drowns their sorrows in a glass," he informed her._

"_Yeah, and you can tell that by knowing me for a whole five minutes," she told him, shaking her head._

"_I'm usually pretty good at judging a person in a short amount of time," the man told her. "You're out of your comfort zone, being here."_

"_If I wanted a psychiatrist, I'd pay for one," she told him, shaking her head. "Like I said, just buried my sister and just needed a few drinks."_

_James picked up her hand. "Usually it's the man who takes off his wedding ring," he said, noticing the tan mark on her hand._

"_Not married, yet," she informed him. "You know, this conversation is getting a bit personal," she stated. "Thanks for the drink, James," she informed him, walking out._

Sayid walked over to where Mac was searching. "We've been searching for 3 hours. This balloon does not exist," he stated. "Charlie!"

Mac stood up. "Why would he draw a map and give it to Ana?"

"She told him that she would protect him whether we found this balloon or not. She gave him 2 more days to talk - to figure how to escape. We're done," he informed her. "Charlie!"

"Over here! This way!" they heard Charlie call, starting to run toward them. "Sayid!"

Mac stopped, seeing the cross and burial mound.

"He said he buried her, right? His wife?" Charlie asked.

Mac looked up. "Guys, it's not raining here," she pointed out.

Both men looked up, noticing the same thing. "Well this island isn't exactly normal in the first place," Charlie stated. "So, this means he's telling the truth right?"

"Not necessarily," both Mac and Sayid answered in unison.

Charlie looked at them. "Is that a army thing?" he asked, as Sayid walked over to the grave, getting on his knees. "What are you doing? You can't dig her up!"

"We have to be sure," Mac answered, crossing herself before joining Sayid.

"You're Catholic?" Charlie questioned, looking at her.

"I was, a very long time ago," she answered, truthfully.

_Mac watched, solemnly, as the Priest administered last rights to Sofia, holding her hand. When the Priest was done she bent down, kissing the top of Sofia's head. _

"_Paige needs you so she's not so afraid, baby. Take care of her until I can join both of you," she whispered to her, tears in her eyes. She nodded at the doctor to remove the life support machine, watching as he did it, looking at the heart monitor, it stopping after a moment. Mac kissed the top of Sofia's head again, exiting the room, taking a deep breath as she leaned against the wall._

"_Are you alright?" the Priest asked, joining her._

_Mac let out a disgusted laugh. "Yeah, just peachy. I just took my daughter off life support, my younger daughter is lying in a morgue, and my soon to be ex-husband still isn't in custody. But other than that, everything is wonderful."_

"_I wish you would have talked with the church before you filed for divorce, perhaps we could have mediated, and it wouldn't have come to this," the Priest said._

_Mac turned and glared at him. "Maybe you should wait until I bury my daughters before you start lecturing me about the sins of divorce," she bellowed at him. "I should have divorced him years ago, Father. But I came to the church, several times, to discuss the fact that my loving husband beat me, kicked me, and locked me in closets whenever it suited him. I was told to ask forgiveness, like it was my fault that he was doing these things. I finally got the nerve to leave him because he hit Paige and broke her nose. He had a restraining order on him, he broke into MY house and killed our daughters. I'm pretty sure I remember 'Thou Shall Not Kill' as one of the Ten Commandments. I'm not the one to blame for my daughters' murders, and though I feel guilty because I wasn't able to protect them, I blame the church," she informed him, taking off her Rosary beads, dropping them in his hands. "I only allowed you to administer last rights to Sofia because of her faith, but for me, I'm done with the church," she informed him, walking off._

Charlie walked ahead of them back to camp, stopping when they saw a flash. "What was that?"

Mac stopped, looking at where the light came from. "I'm not sure," she answered.

"Let's keep walking," Sayid stated, going ahead of them, going through a clearing, coming upon Kate and Jack.

"What'd you find?" Jack asked Sayid.

"The truth," he responded, walking past them.

"Charlie, go get Ana, have her meet us at the hatch," Mac instructed him. "I'll fill you two in as we walk," Mac told the other two, as she started to walk.

"You didn't find a balloon?" Kate asked, catching up.

"We found the balloon," she responded. "We also found the real Henry Gale's body," she answered crisply.

"You're not going into the hatch," Jack told her.

Mac stopped in front of Jack. "Usually I would agree with you, but not this time, Jack. Sayid is angry, and I don't think I have to tell you what he's capable of doing when he is angry. I'm not saying that I have any control over him, but he does seem to listen to me better than anyone else when he is angry. But if you think you want to try to handle this on your own, I'll go back to camp. Your choice," she informed him forcefully.

"Let's go," Jack responded, starting to walk.

"You played that well," Kate complimented the other woman.

"It wasn't a play, Kate, it's the truth," Mac responded, starting to jog to catch up to Sayid before they got to the hatch.

Jack entered the hatch, seeing Gale near Locke. "Get away from him."

"Wait, you don't…" Gale started to say.

"Step back, right now," Sayid ordered, taking out his gun.

"Sayid, it's okay," Locke responded.

Jack grabbed Gale, pushing him against the wall. "I said, "get away"!"

"I let him out - some kind of lockdown or something - he, he was helping me," John tried to explain.

"John, I'd stay out of it if I was you," Mac suggested, forcefully, going over sitting by him looking at his foot.

"Couldn't you find my balloon?" Gale asked.

"Yeah, we found it," Mac answered.

"We did find your balloon, Henry Gale, exactly how you described it. We also found the grave you described - your wife's grave. The grave you said you dug with your own bare hands. It was all there. Your whole story - your alibi - it was true. But still I did not believe it to be true. So I dug up that grave and found that there was not a woman inside. There was a man," he said, holding up a driver's license in front of him. "A man named Henry Gale."

The fake Henry Gale looked at Mac. "You haven't been down here before, but I know you know what he's doing is wrong. Talk to him. Please."

"This is between you and me, Gale, not anyone else," he said, taking him into the armory.

Mac stood up going to the door. "Open it," she said, looking at Jack.

"Mac, I can't do that, and you know it," he told her, sitting down by Locke.

"Jack, last time, I was caught off guard, locked in against my will. It was a trigger, and though it's not my favorite thing, now I'm prepared for it. I trained myself to be able to handle it when I know it's coming. Do you really want to risk Sayid being in there with a gun and Gale?" Mac asked.

"Someone else can go in," Jack answered.

"I'm sure someone else could, Jack, but I think we both know that I have the better training at dealing with a hostage situation than anyone else, besides Ana. And she doesn't have the personal relationship with Sayid that I do," she reasoned.

"She's right, Jack," Locke answered.

"How do you train yourself not to have a panic attack?" Jack questioned.

"You lock yourself in a small confined space, first for a minute, then five, then ten, then a half an hour, then an hour. I was a soldier Jack; you have to learn to be prepared for anything. I know you have every reason to doubt that I can handle this, but I'm steeling myself for it as we speak. Now Jack, open the damn door," she ordered.

Jack sighed, getting up. "I'm doing this against my better judgment."

"You're not the only one," Mac assured him, taking a deep breath as Jack opened the door.

"He was dead already," the man insisted as Mac entered. "Four months ago I was part of the search party. Henry Gale was hanging out of the basket - neck broken," he explained.

Sayid glanced back at Mac, surprised to see her, but motioned for her to stay quiet. "So he was already dead?" he questioned.

"Yes," the other man responded.

"Then you buried him and left a grave marker?" Sayid questioned, angrily.

"Yes," he answered, giving Mac a pleading look.

"You really should have checked his wallet before you did that," Sayid answered, pulling a twenty dollar bill from his pocket. "I assume Henry Gale did not have any paper on which to compose his thoughts, so he had to improvise. There wasn't much space for that," he said, reading from the bill. "Jennifer, well, you were right. Crossing the Pacific isn't easy. I owe you a beer. I'm hiking to one of the beaches to start a signal fire. But if you're reading this, I guess I didn't make it. I'm sorry. I love you, Jenny. Always have - always will. Yours, Henry." So tell me, how did Henry Gale write a note to his wife with a broken neck?"

"It wasn't me. I didn't kill him. You don't understand," the fake Gale answered, panic in his voice.

"How did you know his wife's name? Did you interrogate him?" Sayid demanded.

"Please, just listen. I'm just a-," the other man started to say.

"How many of you are there?" Sayid questioned.

"If I told you about them - you have no idea what he'll do," Gale answered.

"He?" Sayid asked.

"You mean their leader? The guy with the beard," Mac questioned.

"Him, he's a no one," the other man responded.

"Where are your people?" Sayid questioned in a demanding tone.

"I can't..." the other man started to say.

"How many of you are there?" Sayid questioned again, his voice getting louder.

"You don't understand!" the other man yelled.

"Understand this," Sayid told him, pulling the gun out.

"Sayid!" Mac said, taking a step away from the door.

"You have 3 seconds to answer my question. How many of you are there? One," he said.

"He'll kill me!" Gale pleaded.

"I'll kill you," Sayid warned, cocking the gun.

"Sayid!" Mac repeated.

"You can't do this! I am not a bad person!" Gale told them.

"Three," Sayid said, as Mac rushed him pushing him just as he pulled the trigger so that he missed Gale.

"Jack, open the door!" Mac yelled, looking at Sayid.

"What happened?" Jack questioned as he and Ana entered the Armory.

"He's a liar!" Sayid screamed.

"Sayid, let's take a walk, please?" she asked looking at him. "I need to get out of here, ok? Please come with me?"

Sayid nodded, going with her.

"Thank you," Gale called after her.

Mac looked back at him. "I didn't do it for you, I did it for him," she said leaving the armory with Sayid.

_Mac sat down on the bleacher's as it started to rain, closing her eyes, letting the rain hit her._

"_You're going to catch your death sitting in the rain like this, brother," a voice told her._

_Mac didn't open up her eyes. "Maybe that's what I'm hoping for."_

"_Now that's a terrible attitude for such a beautiful young woman. Life can't be that bad," he said, sitting down beside her. "Desmond," he introduced, holding out his hand._

_Mac sighed, opening up her eyes. "Mac," she said, taking his hand. _

"_Is there anything I can do to make you not feel like catching your death out here?" he asked._

"_No," she answered, closing her eyes again. _

"_Well, then, I'll sit here with you and catch my death of cold," he said._

_Mac arched an eyebrow, opening her eyes. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to talk to strangers?"_

_The man smiled. "We introduced ourselves, we aren't strangers anymore," he pointed out. "There's been points in my life that I just wanted to die too, but there's always someone that needs you to live."_

_Mac shook her head. "There used to be," she answered._

"_Believe me brother, there is someone out there waiting for you to make a difference in his or her life," he assured her. _

"_Right," Mac answered, shaking her head. "What are you some kind of psychiatrist?"_

_Desmond shook his head. "No, nothing like that," he answered. "I'm just someone who knows that things aren't always as bad as they seem at the moment," he told her. "Don't give up, brother," he said, standing. "You're going to make a difference in someone's life again," he said, before he started running again._


	12. Chapter 12

**Sink or Swim **

**Chapter 12**

Mac stuffed her belongings in her duffle bag, standing up as Sayid entered the tent.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I figured I'd save you the trouble of asking me to leave and do it myself," she simply explained.

"Why would I ask you to leave?" he questioned, taking her bag out of her hand.

"You haven't said a word to me in over two hours since we left the hatch, it's not hard to figure out that you're angry with me," she stated.

Sayid touched her face, kissing her. "Do you always make assumptions without asking the other person? A relationship isn't going to work out well if you do," he informed her.

"A relationship isn't going to work if you give me the silent treatment and don't talk to me when you're upset," she countered, crossing her arms.

"Point taken," he answered putting his head against hers. "You took an unnecessary risk by coming into the hatch."

"Good thing I did, or we'd have a dead other on our hands," she stated.

Sayid nodded. "You could have sent Jack or Ana Lucia in," he pointed out, touching her face.

"You barley listened to me, like they would have done any better," she countered. "I needed to be in there with you," she continued.

"You wouldn't have done either one of us any good if you had a panic attack, plus he would have known your weakness," Sayid whispered, kissing her softly.

"I prepared myself, stayed close to the door. I was focused on you, and the gun," she added. "Sayid, I'm scared."

"He isn't going to hurt you," he assured her.

Mac shook her head. "No, it's not him I'm scared of, it's you."

"Me?" he asked. "What did I do to scare you? If it's about the gun and shooting Gale, you should know I would never point it at you."

Mac shook her head. "No, I know that. I'm scared of the way I'm feeling for you."

Sayid touched her face. "Talk to me?"

"After my daughters' murders, and before the trial, I considered suicide. Actually would have done it if my sister had listened to me and actually left. After the trial, I left the Army, packed up the duffle, and just traveled. I didn't care, didn't have any real direction, all I knew was I wanted to be alone. I didn't want any responsibility, or anyone to depend on me," she explained. "I was angry with the whole world, starting with my parents. I was in Australia because my father, who I hadn't set eyes on since I was 14, found me, and asked me to come see him. He was dying and he wanted forgiveness. Oh, yeah to tell me had a new wife and son," she added bitterly. "I didn't forgive him, and I boarded 815 the next day."

Sayid nodded, sitting down with her. "Go on."

"It would have been so easy to let the water fill my lungs, but something wouldn't let me give up," she told him, looking at him. "I still refused to take charge; Ana did a good job at that. But the first time that I thought she was wrong, I stepped in. I saved Nathan's life, killed one of them," she explained. "When we got to this camp, I thought, ok, I can go back to looking out for myself, not depending on others or having them depend on me."

"Then you met me," he finished for her.

Mac nodded. "Libby teased me about it, how we talked on the beach a few nights after we got here, or how you were the first person to come up to me. I told her that she was crazy, that this wasn't the place to have a relationship. Then I got locked in that stupid hatch, and you just had to come running when you heard I was ill. Then you had to go make that picnic," she said shaking her head.

Sayid touched her face. "The picnic you called thoughtful," he teased.

Mac laughed. "I said it was romantic!"

"After I suggested the word," he pointed out kissing her.

"I think I fell in love with you then," she admitted. "I tried to fight it; I tried to reason to myself that it was just this place, this island and that if we ever got rescued, we wouldn't be together. If we hadn't crashed, we would have passed each other without noticing each other."

Sayid kissed her. "I'll never leave you," he informed her.

"Don't make promises you can't possibly know if you can keep it," she told him, kissing him. "But right now, right here, all I know is that you touched some part of me that I thought was dead. Actually, a part of me that I don't think has ever been alive before. That's why you scare me, Sayid. And, that's also why I had to be in the hatch with you today," she continued. "I needed to be there for you if something happened. I couldn't stay out there and risk him doing something to you or you doing something to him," she said kissing him. "I love you."


	13. Chapter 13

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 13**

Mac stood in front of the tent she shared with Sayid in the dark, turning her head to the woods where she heard voices. She cast a glance back inside the tent, seeing Sayid still sleeping, taking a deep breath before grabbing a torch.

"OK Mac, going into the woods by yourself in the middle of the night is not a good idea," she told herself out loud. "Hell, it's really a bad idea," she chastised herself.

"Mommy!" she heard a voice call from the woods, and then a child's figure appeared.

"Paige," she answered softly. "Paige!" she called, running after the voice. She took a breath stopping in the woods. "Ok, you're seeing things Mac," she told herself.

"Mommy, help me!" the voice called again.

"Paige," Mac said going further into the woods, taking a breath.

"Mac!" she heard a voice call as a hand grabbed her. "Hey what are you doing?" Hurley asked, grabbing her arm.

"Did you see a little girl run through here? Dark brown hair, pigtails, in a green sun dress with a green bow in her hair?" she asked.

Hurley shook his head. "No dude, you ok?" he asked.

"Mac, what are you doing out here?" Libby asked, joining them.

"She's seeing things too," he explained.

"What do you mean too?" she questioned.

"I've been seeing a man appear no one else is able to see, thought I was going crazy. I attacked Sawyer over it," he explained.

"And he was going to live in the caves, I had to talk him out of it," Libby stated. "Mac, who did you think you saw?".

"My daughter," she stated.

_Mac placed the cereal bowls in front of Sofia and Paige, and sat down herself. "Ok, you two are going to beat me home today. What are the rules?"_

_Sofia and Paige both sighed, looking at each other. "Mom, we know the drill," seven year old Paige answered._

"_Well, indulge me will you?" she questioned her daughters._

"_I check in with base security, wait the half an hour for Paige's bus to drop her off and we ask one of the guards to walk us home," twelve year old Sofia answered._

"_If the guard is busy, we call you from the guard house and then you'll talk to the guard," Paige continued._

"_Under no circumstances do we come up to the house alone without a security escort," Sofia said. _

"_Then we have them check to see if every lock is still locked, and every window still secure," Paige offered._

"_And then, and only then, do we unlock the door, disarm the alarm, and lock the door after the officer leaves," Sofia finished._

"_Good," Mac stated. "You forgot something," she reminded them._

"_We call you as soon as we reset the alarm," both girls added in unison._

_Mac nodded. "Good, and if either one of you see any sign of your father outside of school what do you do?"_

"_We go back inside, tell the principle, have him call you and don't leave again until you get there," the oldest one responded._

_Mac nodded. "I'm sorry if I'm being overly protective about this, but keeping you safe is my number one priority," she stated, touching their faces._

"_Do you think dad would try something?" Paige asked, her voice breaking with fear._

_Mac took her hand. "Baby, I don't know what your father will or won't do, but I'm doing everything in my power to make sure we're all safe from him."_

"_I can't believe they let him out of jail on bail even after he broke Paige's nose," Sofia stated._

_Mac gave a warning glance to her oldest daughter. "Well, we just have to depend on each other to look after each other right? Girl power rules!" she said glancing at her watch. "If you two hurry up, I can give you rides to school."_

Mac sighed, walking into the tent, seeing Sayid turning, getting dressed. "Hey."

"I was just coming to find you, it's 3 in the morning," he told her. "Where were you?" he asked, kissing her.

"Chasing a ghost," she answered, sitting down.

"Excuse me?" he asked, sitting down beside her.

"I woke up, couldn't get back to sleep, I went outside, I heard voices from the woods, and I really debated with myself about following them. I know it's unsafe to go alone in the woods, even in the day time. Then I saw Paige," she answered, looking at him.

"Your daughter? Mackenzie, you know that isn't possible," he said, caressing her cheek. "It was a dream."

"I wasn't asleep, Sayid," she pointed out. "Even if I had been sleeping, and dreaming, I never had one like this before. Never has a dream about either one of my daughters been so clear, or so vivid," she explained. "I know it's not possible that she was real, Sayid, or that she was asking for help, but it wasn't a dream either."

Sayid kissed her. "What do you think it was?" he asked.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "But I do know I need you to believe me, to have faith that I'm not just losing my mind. I've never seen my dead daughter stand close enough for me to reach out and touch before. It would be easy for me to believe I'm losing my mind, if Hurley hadn't been seeing invisible people all day too."

"First of all, I do believe you, and I do have faith in you," he assured her. "Second of all, what do you mean Hurley's been seeing invisible people all day?"

"I met him and Libby coming back from the caves, I guess he's been seeing someone he knew before the crash that's gone, telling him this is all a dream," Mac explained. "I think we better try and get some sleep," she stated.

"Wake me up if you experience seeing Paige again?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, lying back down.

_Mac stopped the car a couple of blocks from Sofia's school. "Wait," she told her eldest daughter. "I want to talk to you, without Paige being present."_

_Sofia sighed. "Is this about the comment I made about dad being out on bail?" she questioned. "I saw the mom warning glare. But, I honestly don't know what I said wrong, Mom. She knows we're being overly cautious because he isn't in jail. I don't think I said anything wrong," the twelve year old insisted._

_Mac touched her oldest daughter's face. "It's not that Sophie," she stated._

"_Then what?" she asked._

"_I know what it's like to be the oldest child, having to take responsibility when one parent leaves, and the other one isn't around," Mac responded._

"_Mom, you have a job, we know that. And dad didn't leave; you kicked him out because he hurt Paige. You should have kicked him out long ago," the twelve year old commented wisely. "It's nothing like your family, don't worry."_

_Mac smiled. "It's my job to worry, Sophie, always have been. I think I was born with the worry gene turned on," she explained. "I don't want you to ever feel like you're giving up your youth to be a mother figure to Paige. I need you to promise me that if you ever feel like that, you'll tell me."_

"_I complain now watching her for more than two hours, so you know I'm not going to let you off the hook if it gets to be a longer habit then that," the pre-teen answered with a grin. _

_Mac laughed, touching her cheek. "You have always been good at speaking up, that's for sure," she responded. "You better go before you're late," she instructed her daughter. "Love you."_

_Sofia got out of the car taking a few steps then went back bending down at the window. "Hey mom?"_

"_Yeah Sophie?" she questioned, looking at her._

"_Promise me you won't give up on love?" Sophie asked._

_Mac laughed. "I'm sorry?" she questioned her daughter._

"_Dad wasn't your soul mate, and I don't want you to see you miss out on that just because of what dad did," she explained._

"_You're twelve years old, Sophia Grace, please tell me what you know about love and soul mates?" she questioned her daughter, amused._

"_Sister Mary Katherine says that everyone has one person meant for them in this life, and that it may take time to find them," she informed her mother._

"_Well did Sister Mary Katherine also mention that the church frowns on divorce?" she asked. "So I'm probably sure that she didn't mean me."_

_Sophia shrugged. "Then promise me," she stated. "You deserve love."_

_Mac laughed. "Well good thing that I have two daughters that adore me, isn't it? Now get going I don't want one of the Fathers out here telling me that I'm making you late for school."_

Mac threw her backpack over her back, heading over to where Sawyer was sitting, reading. "So Hurley did get you good," she commented, looking at his face.

Sawyer looked up. "Well, look who decided to talk to me again," he commented. "What did I do to earn this pleasure, GI Jane?" he asked. "Oh let me guess, you need something from the stash."

Mac shook her head. "No, I'm good," she answered, sitting down. "I had to come see it myself."

"See what?" he questioned.

"Your face," she answered. "Hurley told me that he beat you up, I had to see it for myself."

"Oh? Is fatso bragging about getting the upper hand on me is he?" he questioned.

"No, he's not," Mac assured him.

"What? It just came up in conversation?" Sawyer questioned her.

Mac glanced over at him. "Actually, yes it did. I met him and Libby when they were coming back from the caves in the middle of the night, when I was chasing my daughter through the woods."

Sawyer looked at her. "You have a kid?" he asked.

"I did, two of them to be exact," she answered, handing him the picture.

"You did?" he asked. "You've given up getting home?"

Mac shook her head. "My ex-husband killed them two years ago," she answered. "Last night, I swore that the youngest one, Paige, was here, on this island, asking me to help her. If you think Hurley is crazy for saying he saw a man in a bathrobe, then I'm as crazy as he is for seeing my daughter running through the woods in the dress I buried her in," she said standing up, taking the picture.

"Why are you telling me this?" Sawyer asked quietly.

"Because I needed you to know," she answered, walking away.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Sink or Swim**_

_**Chapter 14**_

_Mac glanced over at Claire as they were at the makeshift pantry._

"_Find any peanut butter?" she asked._

"_Yeah," Claire answered. "Thanks for coming with Aaron and me."_

_Mac smiled, holding Aaron. "It's no problem," she answered. "Are those marshmallows?" she asked, shifting Aaron in her arms, grabbing the bag. "Now, if I had chocolate and graham crackers, it would be perfect smore's time."_

"_Like this?" the young woman asked, taking out a box of graham crackers and some chocolate, grinning._

"_Oh your mother just made my day, Aaron!" she informed the infant. "Can you put them in my bag?"_

"_Of course," Claire answered. "So maybe you and Sayid can make smore's tonight."_

_Mac laughed. "For some reason, I don't see Sayid as the smore's type."_

"_You never know, maybe you can introduce them to him," she offered. "Jack told us about the guy in the armory. Do you think he's a threat?" she asked concerned._

_Mac looked at her. "Yeah, I do," she answered. "Did Jack tell you that I kept Sayid from killing him?"_

_Claire nodded. "I'm sure you had your reasons."_

"_I didn't do it for him, I did it for Sayid," she explained. "He's a threat alive, but he's even more of one dead," she stated. "I'd never do anything to endanger anyone's lives," she told her._

"_I know," she answered. "I wouldn't have asked you to come with Aaron and me if I didn't trust you or if I thought you would have endangered our lives," Claire stated. "Something else is bothering you today, what is it?"_

"_Didn't get much sleep the past couple nights," she explained._

_Claire looked at her. "I thought we were friends," she answered._

"_We are Claire," she assured her._

"_Friends don't lie to each other," Claire reminded her._

_Mac sighed, turning to look at the younger woman. "I saw my youngest daughter running through the woods, asking for help," she answered._

_Claire looked at her. "Did you tell Sayid?" she questioned._

_Mac nodded. "Yeah," she answered._

"_What did he say?" Claire questioned._

"_At first he thought it was a dream," she reported._

"_It wasn't though was it?" Claire questioned._

_Mac shook her head. "I know it wasn't, Claire. Whatever it was, it certainly was not a dream," she answered. "Do you think I'm going crazy?"_

_Claire shook her head. "If you said you saw Paige, I believe you. Some of us have seen Walt, and that's impossible," she stated. "The important thing is that you know what you saw," she told her. "You ready to go back?"_

_Mac nodded. "I told Sayid I loved him," she informed the other woman._

_Claire grins. "Yeah?"_

"_Yeah," she answered smiling, going into the camp. "Here you go mommy," she said, handing Aaron back to Claire._

"_Thanks for coming with me," she repeated._

"_Anytime," she answered as Claire walked away. She noticed Jack walking away from her and Sayid's tent. "Jack?" she called after him. "Looking for me?" she asked, catching up to him._

"_Actually, I was looking for Sayid," he explained. "You haven't seen him have you?"_

"_Not since earlier this morning, Nathan came by and asked him for help with something," she explained._

"_Nathan?" he asked. "Who's Nathan?"_

"_Really Jack? You seriously are asking me who Nathan is?" she questioned. "He's one of the tail survivors, came into camp with the rest of us. You know as a leader, you should probably have made it top priority to know the newcomers' names. Basically, someone could come in here, take Nathan and you would never know because you don't know who he is," she accused, crossing her arms._

"_I've been busy," he explained. "I'm sure you don't know all of us yet," he countered._

"_Jack, there's forty some of you, there were seven of us," Mac countered, shaking her head. "Plus, I can pretty well assure you I've made some effort to know more than seven's people's names."_

"_I'll meet Nathan," he offered._

"_You don't get it do you Jack? This has nothing to do with you not knowing Nathan," she stated. _

"_Then what is it about Mac?" he questioned._

"_Well first of all, I think the thought should have crossed your mind to say thank you for saving the POW's life the other day," she informed him._

"_POW? Are we in a war now?" he asked._

"_Why don't you tell me Jack? I'm not the one who started building an Army with Ana," she pointed out. "I've been curious about that Jack. Did it ever cross your mind to come to the two people who were actually in the Army?"_

"_You had your panic attack," he reminded her._

"_Bull," she stated. "You didn't go to her until the morning after. I have a theory if you want to hear it," she stated._

"_I have a feeling you're going to tell me even if I said I wasn't," he answered._

"_When they kidnapped Kate and put a gun to her head, it became personal. You wanted revenge," she informed him._

"_It became personal when Ethan kidnapped Claire and hung Charlie from a tree," he countered._

_Mac shook her head. "Not like this," she stated. "You hoped that if you stayed out of their way, you could keep under their radar. Then we come into camp, bringing Sawyer back almost dead, and Walt missing. And we told you about what we went through, but you still held out a brief hope that you could avoid conflict. Then Michael decided to go after Walt, and you decided to go after him, but you still wanted to avoid any type of conflict. But then Kate got kidnapped, and that changed the rules in your eyes. You came back here, and you started planning for a war, because it got personal, because it involved Kate," she responded. "You didn't come to Sayid or me because we would have told you can't make logical, clear and concise decisions when you let personal feelings get involved."_

"_That's exactly what you did when you went into the armory the other day," he pointed out._

"_I admitted that Jack, when I went in there. I pointed out that I was probably the best one to calm Sayid down," she stated. "But, I would have done it for anyone Jack," she stated. "Why are you looking for Sayid?" she questioned._

_Jack looked at her. "I'm going to trade our guest for Walt," he responded. "I'm planning on asking Sayid to go with me," he admitted._

_Mac stared at him. "It never crossed your mind to ask me if I wanted to go?" she asked shaking her head. "Of course it didn't, Jack, because you don't trust me."_

"_Excuse me?" he asked._

_Mac shook her head. "You don't trust me, Jack. I might have been on that plane, but because of where my seat happened to be, I wasn't able to earn your respect or trust or prove myself. The only reason you even trust Ana a little bit is because you happened to meet her before the flight," she said, sighing, starting to walk away. She turned back to look at him. "By the way, Jack, do you know what I did in the Army?"_

"_No," he admitted._

"_Army intelligence," she responded. "During Desert Storm, I was responsible for POW's in Iraq, and I gathered Intel on the enemy," she informed him. "But of course that expertise would be of no use in this situation."_

_Mac took inventory of what was going to be sent ahead to Iraq, making a list, turning when she heard a knock on her office door. _

"_Enter."_

"_Lt. Grayson?" the man asked, coming in._

_Mac immediately saluted. "Major," she greeted._

"_As you were," the man instructed. "I'm Major Rodriguez," he introduced. "I'm trying to meet most of the division heads before we deploy. I know that getting a new Commander two weeks before deployment isn't exactly an easy thing to adjust to," he responded._

_Mac nodded. "Major Kingley's heart attack was very much unexpected," she commented. "He seemed to be in such wonderful shape."_

_The major nodded. "I knew Tom, he was in excellent shape," he agreed, sitting down. "But I believe things happen for a reason and we all wind up where we are supposed to be."_

"_Yes sir," she answered, unconvincingly. _

_He laughed. "You can speak your mind; Lt. I'm not going to hold it against you just because you don't agree with everything I say."_

_Mac sat behind her desk. "I'm not so sure I believe in destiny, Major, or fate for that reason. Major Kingsley had a heart attack; you were next in line for a command, simple as that."_

"_Nothing is that simple, Lt. Grayson," he pointed out. "Anyone could have gotten this command, they could have promoted someone in the division, or moved someone in the unit," he explained. "But, I got transferred from Germany to take over this division, I don't call that a simple coincidence."_

_Mac nodded. "I see where you may have a point," she agreed._

"_Just keep an open mind, that's all I'm asking," the major responded._

"_Yes sir," she answered._

Mac saw Jin walking away from Bernard, as she's walking to the beach. "Hey Bernard, what's going on?" she asked.

Bernard sighed. "Trying to get us rescued," he stated. "But everyone seems to be resolved to be stuck on this island forever," he answered, sitting down.

Mac sat down. "I see I'm not the only one having a frustrating day."

Bernard looked at her. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Mac shook her head, standing up. "Don't worry about it, Bernard, let's build your SOS signal."

Bernard stood up. "Only if you talk to me while we're doing it."

Mac gave a small smile. "Deal," she answered, picking up some rocks.

"So, what's got you frustrated?" he asked.

Mac sighed. "Want the short or long answer?" she questioned.

"We've got nothing but time," he reminded her.

Mac smiled. "I'm just feeling underappreciated by some people here, Bernard. It's no big deal, actually, and I really don't understand why I'm so aggravated by it. I usually don't give a damn about what people think."

"We all want to be told that we're appreciated, and complimented on our strengths. And we especially want to be told thank you when we do something that helps someone else," he stated. "Let me take a guess, Jack?"

"Yeah, how did you know?" she questioned, placing a rock down.

"Jack seems to be good at thinking about himself and those closest to him. He sometimes forgets that there are other people who can help out," he stated.

"He didn't even know who Nathan was, Bernard. There were seven of us who came into camp and he can't even be bothered to find out our names?" she asked, irritated.

Bernard put down the rock and went over to her. "I can't speak for Jack, but I want to thank you," he said with a smile, hugging her.


	15. Chapter 15

**SINK OR SWIM**

**Chapter 15**

Mac tore up old shirts to use as bandages and other things, casting a glance at Sayid.

"Jack was looking for you yesterday."

Sayid glanced over at her. "He found me," he answered.

"Did he tell you what he wanted?" she questioned.

"Yes, to make a trade with the POW for Walt," he answered.

Mac arched an eyebrow. "Is that the word Jack used?"

Sayid shook his head. "No, I used it why?"

Mac shrugged. "I was going to get more annoyed with him then I already am if he stole my word."

Sayid laughed. "Your word?" he asked, stopping what he was doing, going over and kissing the top of her head. "I didn't realize you had a copyright on the term," he teased. "Forgive me for using your word."

Mac playfully hit his shoulder, shaking her head. "It's not my word, but I used it when talking to Jack yesterday, and to hear it coming out of your mouth after talking with Jack, well, it was a bit of a coincidence," she explained.

"We're both soldiers, it shouldn't be surprising that I would use the same word to describe the man in the hatch," he pointed out.

"True," she stated. "Wait, you said Jack found you right? Then what are you still doing here?"

Sayid walked back over to what he was doing. "I live here," he answered.

Mac shook her head. "You know what I mean, Sayid. He asked you to go with him, but you didn't."

"I don't have to do everything Jack asks of me, especially when I think he is wrong," he pointed out.

Mac watched him. "I hope you told him that," she stated. "I would have, but I had other things to get out in the open with Jack," she explained.

"He told me," he responded.

"Of course he did," Mac answered. "He probably told you that I went off on him for no reason, and accused him of wanting to build an Army because of his feelings for Kate."

Sayid nodded. "He did," he confirmed. "I told him that I agreed with you."

Mac let out a small laugh. "I'm sure he took that well," Mac responded, sarcastically. "Did he also tell you that I resented the fact that he didn't know who Nathan was?" she questioned. "That I found it quite like a slap in the face that he couldn't bother to learn all seven of our names and that he is supposedly the leader?"

Sayid nodded again. "He told me you were frustrated, but he didn't go into it further," he explained. "Now that you told me why, I understand. It is unacceptable for him not to have taken the time to find out all of your names when you came into camp."

"I knew there was a reason I liked you," she said, standing up kissing his cheek. "Hey you never told me what Nathan wanted yesterday morning."

"He wanted help building something for Shannon," he answered.

Mac smiled. "That's the best answer I'm going to get isn't it?" she questioned.

"Unless you ask Nathan or Shannon," he responded, kissing her.

"You need a shave," she told him, laughing.

"Find me a razor and I'll be happy to oblige," he responded.

Mac laughed. "I'm going to take these over to Claire for Aaron," she informed him, walking away.

_Mason sat down from across Mac at the Police Station. "You don't have to do this, Mac, especially alone," he informed her._

_Mac looked at him, giving him blank stares. "What would you have me do, Lt. Mason? Would you have me just walk out of here before they bring him in? Would you rather that I just not confront him?"_

"_Mac, I know you need to do this for closure, but you haven't even buried your daughters' yet. You're still too emotional to confront him logically," he pointed out._

"_You think I want to confront him because I want closure? I'll never have closure while that SOB is breathing!" she hissed._

_Mason looked at her. "Let's take a walk, Major," he instructed, taking her elbow._

"_I don't want to take a walk, Lt. Mason," she informed him._

_He bent close to her ear. "Either walk out of here with me or I walk to the nearest MP in here and report you have a concealed weapon on your person. Either way, you're not going to be here when they bring him in," he whispered._

_Mac glared at him, removing his hand from her elbow, walking out of the MP station, getting in his car. _

_He took a breath getting in the driver's seat. "Give it to me," he instructed._

"_You forget who has the higher rank, Lt. Mason, you can't order me to do anything," she reminded him._

"_No, I can't, but I'm trying to save your life," he answered. "You don't want to do this," he warned. "Killing him isn't going to make you feel any better, and it isn't going to make Paige and Sofia be alive."_

"_How do you know what's going to make me feel better?" she demanded._

"_Because I know you, Mac, and you aren't a cold blooded killer," he informed her. _

"_People change," she told him._

"_If he's dead, then he doesn't have to live with what he did every day, Mac. But you still will, and you'll have to live with the fact that you are a murderer," he pointed out. "I know that would eat you up more than anything else, including your daughters' deaths."_

"_I think I'll take that chance," she stated, reaching for the car door handle._

"_Well I'm not letting you take that chance," he said, flooring the gas, speeding off._

Mac walked up to Libby after dropping the diapers off to Claire. "So, you and Hurley, Sayid and me and now it looks like Nathan and Shannon."

"Nathan and Shannon aren't exactly a couple I would have pictured," Libby stated. "But if it works, I'm happy for them. I need to make an effort to talk to Nathan, Bernard and Eko more," she stated.

Mac nodded. "We seem to have gotten caught up with our own lives," she added. "I know Eko's building a church, and Bernard is building an SOS signal with rocks," she offered.

"That's more then I know," she offered. "Ana?" she called as she saw her. "What happened?" she asked, noticing the cut.

"I cut myself shaving," she explained, looking at both of them.

"Want to try the truth this time?" Mac questioned the other woman, going to look at the cut.

"The guy in the hatch tried to kill me," she answered.

"You okay?" Libby asked.

"I'm fine; but he won't be," she responded before starting to walk off.

"Hey, Ana?" Libby called after her.

"What?" she answered.

"Don't do anything stupid," Libby called after her.

Mac sighed. "Ana, hold up, come talk to us," Mac told her.

Ana turned around, "What is anymore talking going to do?"

"Maybe nothing, but maybe it'll give you a chance to calm down," Libby suggested.

"Who says I need to calm down? I think I'm perfectly calm," Ana informed them.

The other women looked at each other. "No, you're pretty well annoyed," Mac stated.

"We've seen that look before," Libby added.

"On the other side of the island, when you thought Nathan was one of them," Mac added.

"Which he wasn't," Ana answered, "but this one is," she stated, walking away again.

"Should we go after her?" Libby questioned.

"What good would it do? You know how Ana gets when she gets determined about something," Mac reminded her.

_Mac opened the hotel room door, shaking her head. "You just going to stand there all night to make sure I don't sneak out?" she asked Mason._

"_Since you didn't invite me in, yes," he answered._

"_Come in," she responded, sighing, closing the door behind him._

"_You know one day you'll thank me for not letting you kill him," he told her._

"_Isn't your wife going to get suspicious if you don't go home tonight?" Mac asked, trying to change the subject._

_Mason shrugged. "She knows what you're going through."_

"_You know what, I can't do this anymore," she informed him. "I can't continue seeing you like nothing happened," she added._

"_You need someone to help you through this, you can't do it alone," he responded, touching her hand._

"_That may be true, David," she responded, using his first name. "But you aren't that person. You aren't going to believe this now, but I was going to end it anyway. I don't want to be responsible for breaking up a marriage, I never did," she explained. _

"_It was broken up way before you entered into the picture and you know it. You're hurting and you want to alienate everyone around you," Mason told her._

_Mac handed him a knife. "This is what I had with me, and you were right, I was going to kill him. Thank you for stopping me," she said. "Do you know what one of the last things Sophie said to me?"_

"_No, what?" he questioned. _

"_She wanted me to promise her that I wouldn't give up on love. She said she knew that my soul mate was out there somewhere, waiting for us to find each other," she explained, wiping the tears in her eyes. "I asked her what she knew about love and soul mates. I may not ever ready to open my heart again, David, but if I do, I'm going to keep those words in mind. Her dark brown eyes just looked so serious when she said it," Mac remembered, standing up, heading towards the door. "Go Mason, go find your soul mate, whether it's with your wife or someone else," she stated. "But I'm not it," she told him, watching him leave, closing the door behind him. She locked the door, sliding down it, putting her head on her knees, starting to cry._

Mac looked at Sayid. "Are you sure you don't want help digging holes?"

"I've got it," he answered.

Mac arched an eyebrow, watching him, seeing Hurley approach. "Hey Hurley," she greeted.

"Mac," he greeted back. "Dude, nice hole."

Mac put her hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing.

"What is it, Hurley?" Sayid questioned, giving Mac a sideways glance.

"Hey, man, remember that radio we made? I'm thinking maybe I could get it to play some music. You know, for Libby," Hurley explained. He gave a quick glance at Mac. "It's a surprise."

Mac held up her hands. "Secret's safe with me," she assured him.

"Well, it worked only once and then just for a minute. I've tried several times since and only gotten static," the other man explained.

"Here's the thing - even that would be good - because then Libby would be like, "it's the thought that counts" - and I'll score major points, especially when she sees me holding it over my head," Hurley explained.

"And why would you hold a static generating radio over your head?" Sayid questioned.

"They didn't have "Say Anything" in Baghdad? It's awesome. This dude, like, gets his boom box and he holds it over his head outside this chick's window and he plays some Peter Gabriel song for her and bam, the girl's, like, his. I mean, after her dad goes to jail. But then he gets her," Hurley told them. "Have you seen it Mac?"

"No, can't say that I have," Mac answered truthfully. "Sayid, he's trying to be romantic."

"I think I get the idea," Sayid informs them. "For that you use the word romantic?" he questioned Mac.

"You guys really should really check it out sometime. I mean, if we ever, you know, get off this island," Hurley informed them.

"If you want to do something nice for Libby, there's a beautiful beach three kilometers from here. You could take her there," Sayid suggested.

"About one point eight miles," Mac stated.

"You think she would like that?" Hurley asked.

"It's very beautiful, and very romantic," Mac said kissing Sayid's cheek. "Though she would know where you got the idea, I told her about the picnic after Sayid took me there."

Hurley smiled. "That's ok, it's still the thought that counts," he said, leaving.

"So should I be flattered that you talked with Libby about the picnic?" Sayid questioned.

"Very," she answered. "Good dates get discussed about, bad dates the date gets crucified," she said with a grin.

_Mac took a breath walking into St Sebastian Hospital in Los Angeles, a few weeks after her daughters' murders. She walked up to the nurses' station. _

"_I received a phone call from a Dr. Christian Shephard but he wouldn't say over the phone what it was about."_

"_Do you have a family member here?" the nurse asked._

_Mac shook her head, running her hand through her recently cut hair. "I live in Washington DC, I've never even been to LA, so no," she responded._

"_I've got it," a man in a doctor's coat answered. "Mrs. Parker?" he asked._

"_Major Grayson," she corrected. "How did you get my number? What is this about?" she questioned._

"_Two weeks ago, a little girl needed a liver immediately, and the truth is that I had lost hope that one would come in time," he stated._

_Mac took a breath. "Do you always make it a point to call the grieving mother?"_

"_No, the mother wanted to meet you, to thank you for your generosity in a horrible time," the Doctor explained._

"_I could have saved a trip out here, Doctor if you had told me what this was about over the phone. I have neither the desire nor intention to meet the mother of the child that my daughter's death saved. My daughter didn't die in a car accident, or a fall, but both of my daughters' were murdered by their father. So please, give her my regards, and I'm glad that something good came out of this, but I can't talk with her." she said, turning and leaving._

"_Wait," she heard him call after her._

"_Dad, let her go," she heard a male's voice say._

"Sawyer, put the book down," Jack ordered, as Mac joined them.

"It's not a book, it's a manuscript. I'm about to be the first and only guy to find out who done it. I think I've got it figured out. Cool your damn jets and walk around the coconut trees; I've got, like, ten pages left," Sawyer said.

Mac watched as Jack grabbed the manuscript and threw it in the fire.

"Hey!" Sawyer yelled irritably.

"You want to figure it out?" Jack questioned

Sawyer pulled the manuscript out of the fire. "What is your problem, Doc?" Sawyer asked.

"It's time to give us the guns back," Jack stated.

"You burn the ending of my book and now you want -?" Sawyer began.

"Where are they, James?" Locke asked.

"Sawyer, please," Mac asked.

"You too, Brutus? And you too, Drill Sgt?" Sawyer asked.

"Just take us there, Sawyer, alright? Quit playing around," Kate questioned.

"What, did you bring her along for a sympathy vote? She ain't in my head, Doc," Sawyer told Jack then he turned to Kate. "Why don't you two just go play in the jungle, huh?"

Jack reaches behind him, pulling out his gun. "Take us to the guns, now," he insisted.

"Jack, not this way," Mac stated.

Sawyer reached behind him to draw his gun. "Ah, that bitch. She stole my damn gun - Ana Lucia," he said.

"Why would she need a gun?" Jack asked.

"Ana," Mac whispered to herself, before taking off in a run for the hatch.

"Son of a bitch," Sawyer repeated.

"Mac!" Kate called, turning to go after her.


	16. Chapter 16

**SINK OR SWIM**

**Chapter 16**

Mac walked in the dark with Kate, Sawyer, Jack and Locke back to the hatch.

Jack making sure she didn't run ahead, even though that's exactly what she wanted to do.

"What were you thinking, John?" Jack asked.

"Jack, leave him alone," Kate told Jack.

"No, Jack, don't leave him alone," Sawyer responded.

"Shut it, Sawyer. If Ana hadn't lifted your gun we wouldn't," Jack responded.

"Well, ain't that swell, Gimpy McCrutch over here covers up that the Artist Formally Known as Henry Gale tried to strangle your little amiga, and suddenly it's on me when she goes vigilante," Sawyer responded.

"How about you go back to the beach?" Jack told Sawyer.

Mac turned and faced both of them. "Why don't you all shut up? There's enough blame to go around," she informed them.

"Michael hey," Jack said, as he stumbled out of the hatch.

"He shot me," Michael told them.

"Who?" Jack asked.

" He's gone. He ran out," Michael stated.

Jack looked at the others "Go, I got him," he told them.

Mac went past the others, seeing Anna and Libby. "No…" she whispered, going over to Ana, touching her neck to check a pulse. "She's gone," she said above a whisper. She turned her as she heard Libby cough.

"Okay, we've got to get her up. We've got to get her to the back room, okay," Jack instructed.

Mac took a breath, watching Jack, Kate and Sawyer take her to the back. Mac looked up as Eko comes and crosses her arms and closes her eyes.

"Grant us this mercy, oh Lord. We beseech, Thee. Amen," Eko said. Eko placed his hand on Mac's shoulder. "Are you ok?"

Mac shook her head. "No," she answered, looking up when Jack goes into the kitchen area. She stands up, going. "Jack how is she?"

"I'm doing what I can. How long ago?" Jack asked, going over to Michael.

"What?" Michael responded.

"When did this happen? How long ago did he leave?" Jack repeated the question.

"I don't know, twenty minutes, maybe a half hour," he responded.

"We can pick up the trail, catch up to him," Jack stated.

"Man's got a head-start, a gun, and he ain't afraid to use it," Sawyer said.

"He shot 3 of our people! One of them is dead, one of them," he said.

"Who's going to take care of Libby while you're off playing Daniel Boone?" Sawyer asked.

Mac looked at Jack. "He's right Jack."

"I will go. John, you have tracking experience, yes?" Eko said.

"Yeah," Locke answered.

"I'm going," Mac answered.

"That's not a good idea, GI Jane," Sawyer told her.

"Why isn't it?" Mac asked.

"Stay, Mac, John and I will find his trail together," Eko said, squeezing her shoulder.

"You find anything - anything - you come right back here and we figure out what we're going to do next, together," Jack told them.

_Mac looked at the two white coffins, bending down crossing herself. "You're Aunt Taylor is up in heaven, I'm sure she met the two of you. I know that she wouldn't want you to be alone or scared. That's what family does for each other, babies," she told the caskets, placing a hand on each of the small caskets. "I'll see you again, little ones, and know that I always loved you. I was blessed to be your mother, no one could have wanted more wonderful daughters."_

"Where the hell are they?" Jack asked.

"Just calm down. Finding his trail in the dark is not going to be easy. They'll be back," Kate insisted.

"She say anything? Libby?" Michael asked.

"She's still unconscious. The bleeding stopped," Jack answered.

"That's good, right?" Kate questioned.

Mac shook her head, her head on her knees. "No, it's not good Kate. It's one of the first things we learned in emergency medical combat training. I'm right aren't I Jack?"

"Yeah, you're right," he answered.

"And there's nothing you can…" Michael started to ask.

"I can make her comfortable," Jack replied looking at Sawyer. "But I don't have what I need."

"Why are you looking at me? I gave you all the damn meds 2 days ago," Sawyer insisted.

"The heroin, Sawyer," he responded.

"Give me twenty minutes," Sawyer said.

"Kate's going to go with you," Jack informed him.

"It doesn't take two people to," Sawyer started.

"Kate is going with you," Jack repeated.

"What are you talking about? Why would he need me to go with him?" Kate asked.

"Jacko here knows his heroin's in my stash with the guns. So, I can either show you where it's at, or let poor Libby suffer. That pretty much it, Doc?" Sawyer responded.

Mac stood up. "You two are really going to argue about this now? Libby's suffering and there's something that you can do to ease her pain but the only thing on your mind is getting the guns? How selfish can you be Jack? Sawyer! Please," she begged going into where Libby was.

"Let's go, Freckles," Sawyer responded.

Mac went in touching Libby's face, tears running down her face. "I never said thank you to you. Seventy six days on an island, you would think it would come up once or twice. You reminded me how good it felt to laugh, to let my guard down. If it wasn't for you and your insistence about Sayid, I would have never gave him a chance. If you hadn't taken it upon yourself to tell Sayid that I was sick, we would have never got together," she told her. "I don't want you to die, Libby, but if you do, at least I got a chance to say goodbye," she said with tears running down her face. "If you get a chance to see my girls, hug them for me, please. Tell Sophia that I took her advice. Now that doesn't give you permission to give up and not fight to live," she warned her.

Jack came in. "You should take a break," he stated.

Mac shook her head. "I'm staying," she informed him, holding Libby's hand. "Someone should tell Hurley."

"Kate will," he told her. "I'm sorry that I sounded callous out there but we need the guns," he gently told her.

"We need the guns? Or do you need the guns? You were trying to get them before this happened," she reminded him.

"We need them, all of us," Jack insisted. "Michael is back, they didn't just release him for the hell of it."

Mac nodded. "Thanks for calling Anna and Libby one of us," she told him sincerely.

Jack placed his hand on her shoulder. "You are, even Nathan," he responded.

Sawyer comes in. "Here you are doc," he said handing him the Virgin Mary.

"Hurley," Mac whispered, going over to him hugging him.

"We were going to have our first date," Hurley told Michael, giving Mac a hug.

"Date?" Michael questioned.

"Yeah, a picnic on the beach. I'm glad you're okay, man," Hurley stated.

Mac glanced over at Michael. "Yeah, Michael, I'm glad you're ok too," she added.

"Can, can I talk to her?" Hurley asked.

"Sure," Jack replied, leaving.

"Hey, it's Hurley. Hugo. I'm sorry I forgot the blankets. I'm sorry I forgot the blankets," he told her trying not to cry. He sees her trying to open up her eyes. "Libby?"

"Jack!" Mac calls, going in.

"Michael," Libby gasps.

"Michael. He's okay. He made it, Libby. It's okay. It's alright," Jack assures her.

Mac watches as Libby gasps for air and dies, watching as Jack closes her eyes. Mac leans against Hurley as both of them cry.


	17. Chapter 17

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 17**

Mac took a breath, squeezing Hurley's arm before walking to Ana Lucia's body, sitting down in front of her. She looked at Michael.

"Mind giving me a minute alone with her?"

"Yeah, sure no problem," Michael answered, walking away.

Mac closed her eyes taking a breath.

"You and I didn't always see eye to eye, but we always worked together, closed in ranks, and supported each other. There's something to be said about the differences men and women lead, huh?" she told her. "I'm never going to forget, Ana. I'm never going to forget what you did for us, or what you meant to us. What you meant to me," she told her, wiping the tears from her own eyes. "I'm going to make him pay for this, Ana," she told her, casting a slight glance over at Michael's direction. "Whatever it takes, the person responsible will pay," she finished, getting up, turning to leave the hatch.

"Jack, I need to get out of here for a bit," she informed him.

"You want one of us to go with you?" he asked quietly, his brow furrowed.

"No," she stated simply.

"Hey, wait - we need to go after Walt," Michael told her grabbing her elbow. "You were a soldier; you know that we need to use the element of surprise."

Mac pulled her arm away from him. "You want my help now Michael? I offered to go with you to find Walt, but you locked me in the armory! This could have been prevented if it wasn't for you and your selfishness!"

"I wasn't thinking," Michael insisted. "I need you now."

Mac pushed him against the wall. "Well you know what Michael, my two best friends were just murdered! This," she gestured to the blood on her shirt, "is _their _blood. You want to get your son back, and I get that, I really do. Believe me, I know about the loss of a child - I buried two of my own! I spent 48 days making my way across this island with those two and I'm not doing anything until they're buried. So don't ask me anything until that is done!"

Jack mouthed to Kate, "Get Sayid."

Kate nodded, immediately walking away. Sawyer went over to Mac, pulling her off of Michael.

"Easy, GI Jane," he soothed, holding her close to him.

"I just need to get my son back!" Michael yelled.

"Michael, we'll figure this out, but not right now," Jack told him patiently.

Mac tried to pull away from Sawyer. "Let me go," she snapped.

"No chance, Hell Fire, we don't need another body to bury. Michael, if I was you I'd shut up now," Sawyer warned.

Kate ran up to where Sayid and Nathan were working on something.

"Sayid!" she called.

"What is it Kate?" he asked, standing, looking immediately wary.

"I can go," Nathan offered.

"No, you need to know this too. Ana and Libby are dead…" she told them.

"How?" Nathan asked, looking stunned.

"Michael came back - he was in the hatch with them, and Gale escaped," she explained.

"Does Mac know?" Sayid asked, quickly grabbing his bag.

"Yes, she was with us when we discovered them. She and Hurley were with Libby when she died," Kate said, her voice distorted with grief. "Jack sent me to get you, Sayid. Michael said that we needed to get Walt, and Mac lost it."

"Let's go," Nathan said quickly.

Sayid turned. "No, you get Bernard and Eko and start digging the graves. Mac will take it better if you three do it because of what you all went through together."

"Eko went with Locke to track Gale," Kate told them. "I'll help."

Nathan took a breath. "I guess I get to break the news to Bernard," he said, walking away, his shoulders hunched over.

Sayid broke out into a run towards the hatch.

Mac leaned against the wall, looking at Ana and Libby's bodies, simply staring because there was nothing more she could do. She felt completely out of it, like her body was there but her mind was elsewhere.

"Hey, I'm sorry about earlier," Michael told her, coming over, his tone apologetic. "I just want to get my son back. I didn't realize - I mean, when you said you knew how I felt, it sounded like you really meant it."

Mac kept looking straight ahead, determined not to look at him.

"Well Michael, if you hadn't been in such a damn hurry to do it yourself, then I could have explained. And, maybe we wouldn't be burying two people right now."

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "Really, I am. But you'll come with me to help get Walt back right?"

"I already said I would, Michael," she answered, turning her face to him. "Why are you so damn insistent that I come along Michael? For that matter, why you are so insistent that only a _few_ of us come along?" she asked, crossing her arms as the thought crossed her mind.

"It's a father's right, we need it to do it my way," he said determinedly. "You said you understood."

"I understand a lot, Michael," she informed him, wiping the tears from her eyes, turning after hearing a sudden noise.

"Mac," Sayid said, rushing over to her. "Kate told me," he informed her, taking her into his arms. "Let's get out of here…"

"Go ahead, Mac, we've got them," Jack said, coming over and squeezing her shoulder softly. "You don't need to do this alone."

"Nathan, Kate and Bernard are digging the graves," Sayid informed her. "Come on, let's take a walk," he said, caressing her cheek.

_Mac walked into the prison wearing her dress uniform._

"_Major Grayson to see Robert Parker," she informed the guards._

_The guard looked up. "I'm sorry; it's after visiting hours, ma'am."_

_Mac scanned his uniform, looking at him. "Sgt. Wilkerson, today has really been a bad day for me. Do you know why today could possibly be such a horrible day?"_

"_No ma'am," he answered truthfully._

"_I just came back from the cemetery where I just buried my daughters. They weren't killed in some car crash or some other horrendous accident; they were murdered by their father, the man I used to love. So, I'm asking you to understand, no I'm begging you to understand, that I need to look into the eyes of the man I once loved who killed my daughters. I need to ask him why he killed my two precious angels, and this really can't wait until tomorrow. Do you understand why I need to do that today?"_

"_Yes, ma'am, but it's not my call," he stated, sounding genuinely sorry he couldn't do more to help._

_Mac picked up the phone holding up the receiver. "Then Sgt. Wilkerson may I suggest that you call someone that does have the power to make that decision. Because as I am sure you understand, right now I'm running on nothing but pure determination just to get through the day. I can't go home, because it's a crime scene, and I really don't want to see the inside of a hotel right now, and I'm so close to a nervous breakdown, that one little thing may push me there. You don't want to be that one little thing, do you?"_

"_No ma'am," he answered, eyeing the phone._

"_Then please - get someone down here who can talk to me, so I can have five minutes with my ex-husband. I'm not even asking for it to be alone, someone can be with me; I'm actually asking for someone to go with me. But please, make that call," she asked, with tears in her eyes._

Mac looked up to where they were digging the graves, taking off her shirt over her other clothing, slowly dipping it in the water.

"I should be up there," she told Sayid quietly, looking at him, her expression detached, emotionless.

"What good would it do?" he asked, touching her face.

Mac looked at him. "I don't know…" she answered. "Damn it, I'm going to cry again," she cursed, feeling the tears pushing through.

"Mac," Sayid told her, pulling her close to him. "It's alright to grieve."

"It's just not them," she told him, burying her head into his chest.

"I know," he whispered.

"Every time I think I've moved on, something happens to open up the pain again," Mac explained, the raw grief evident in her voice.

"I don't think a parent can ever get over the death of a child, Mackenzie. I cannot tell you I know how you are feeling; it would not be right of me to even try. But, your daughters' were murdered, just as Ana Lucia and Libby were, so with the similarities, the pain must be doubled," he comforted her. "When I entered the hatch, I heard Michael insist you go with him to recover Walt. What was that about?"

"Michael's determined that Sawyer, Jack, Kate, Hurley and I are the only people to go with him to rescue Walt," she answered.

"Hurley?" Sayid asked.

"That was my reaction," she stated, sitting up, relieved to hear Sayid questioning the decision too.

"You think there is something more to it?" he asked curiosly.

"Yeah," she answered, "but I'm not in the right mind to think it through clearly. I may just be reading something into it."

Sayid touched her face. "Then it is a good thing you have someone to talk it logically through with. What are you thinking?"

Mac looked at him. "If I was given the chance to do anything to save my daughters, I would have. Even if that involved betraying my friends," she stated, shuddering at the thought.

"You believe Michael had something to do with Gale's escape? With the murders of Libby and Ana?" he asked.

"I'm glad you said it, so I didn't have to," she responded. "God, I hope I'm wrong, but yes I do."

"Go to Michael - tell him that you told me about the rescue party, that I insisted on going with you. It is a logical conclusion that I would insist on coming with you based on our involvement."

"What if I'm wrong?" Mac questioned, sounding unsure.

"Then he will have no problem with me coming along, but if you're right, then he will show his hand," he answered. "You're going to have to make sure that he does not know that you are suspicious… can you do that?"

Mac nodded, standing up. "Yeah," she answered. "I should have let you kill Gale, than we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"I think we both know you don't mean that," he stated, standing up, kissing her tenderly. "You are an honorable person; you were falling back on your Army training. Go, I'll be ready."

Mac nodded, turning to leave. "Sayid?" she called, turning back.

"Yes?" he answered.

"Thank you for believing me," she replied, before walking out.

_Mac sat in the office of the Captain who ran the prison, looking up as he walked in. _

"_Captain Reeves, thank you for seeing me."_

"_Major Grayson, I am so sorry about your daughters'," the man said, shaking her hand, sitting down at his desk._

"_Thank you, Captain. You know why I am here," she stated, determined to keep it together for this meeting._

"_Yes, I do," he responded. "But he is refusing to grant you a meeting."_

"_So he's the one that broke into my house and murdered the girls', yet he gets to call the shots? Exactly how is that fair Captain?" she asked, her voice shaking with anger._

_He shook his head. "It isn't fair, but until his trial, he is innocent until proven guilty, ma'am. And he has rights on who he sees or doesn't see, even if he's convicted. I'm sorry. Is there someone I could call for you…?" _

"_No," she answered coldly. _

"_I understand what you must be feeling," he stated._

"_Please, tell me Captain - have you buried two children?" Mac questioned, the anger rising in her chest._

"_No, I haven't, ma'am," he answered softly, looking at her with sympathy in his eyes._

_Mac stood up. _

"_Then please don't tell me you know how I feel because, unless you have, then you have no idea the incredible pain and darkness I'm feeling."_

Mac took a few deep breaths before heading over to where Michael was packing supplies in his rucksack.

."Michael," she greeted, keeping her tone light and friendly.

"Mac," he responded.

"When do we leave?" she enquired.

"Sunrise," he answered, turning. "Will you be ready?"

Mac nodded. "Yes, and so will Sayid."

"Sayid? You told Sayid?" he asked, looking shocked. "Mac - I told you it needed to be a small group."

Mac looked at him. "Michael, Sayid's insisted on coming with us. I mean he's probably a better match to come with us then Hurley, anyway. It's not a problem is it?"

"No, it's not a problem," he answered, looking less than happy with her news.

"Good, we all want the same thing: to get your son back," she stated, promptly leaving, deciding on heading towards the hatch, pausing near a tree as she watched Michael head towards Sayid.

She shook her head, watching them, taking a breath before going to Claire's tent.

"Can I bother you?" she asked quietly, trying to conceal her emotions.

Claire looked up, immediately standing up. "What's wrong?"

"They're dead….Libby and Ana," she explained shakily, trying to keep herself from falling apart.

"Mac," the younger woman breathed, immediately hugging her. "How?"

"The guy in the hatch… he escaped and killed them," she explained. "Call me stupid, but I just needed to see Aaron's cute little bald head."

"It's not stupid," Claire answered, immediately going over to the crib to fetch Aaron. "Aunt Mac needs some love."

Mac smiled, taking him inside her arms. "Thanks, Claire," she responded, kissing his head tenderly. "We're burying them at sunset," she added, sadness evident in her voice.

"I'll be there," Claire assured her, putting her hand on her shoulder. "Are you going to speak?"

Mac took a breath. "I…I didn't even think about it. You know, I didn't speak at my sister's funeral, or my daughters'. I was afraid I'd just lose whatever control I managed to have."

"Would it be so bad if you break down?" the younger woman asked.

"It would be for me," Mac responded, honestly.

"You don't have to be strong for anyone, Mac. We're here for you, if you need to cry, none of us are going to hold it against you," Claire assured her. "I didn't know Ana Lucia well, but I liked Libby. She helped me when Aaron was sick, remember?"

"Libby was easier to relate to than Ana Lucia," Mac stated, kissing Aaron's head again, finding the gesture gave her a little comfort. "Thank you," she said, slowly handing him back over.


	18. Chapter 18

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 18**

Mac watched as Michael left from talking to Sayid, passing him going back to where Sayid was. "I can pretty well guess that I was right," she stated.

Sayid nodded. "You were. He said that I would be out for revenge instead of Walt's well being," he explained.

"Couldn't the same be said about me?" she questioned. "I am burying my friends," she pointed out.

"I mentioned that also, he said as a mother who buried her children you could understand what he was going through," he informed her.

"So, basically he's leading us into a trap," Mac surmised.

Sayid nodded. "I don't like what I am about to ask you to do," he stated.

Mac looked at him. "You don't have to ask me, I already know. We need to tell the others."

"Jack only," he stated, touching her face. "I do not like knowing that I am sending you into a trap."

"You aren't sending me anywhere," she pointed out. "You have a plan?"

"Not yet, but we will figure one out before you leave," he informed her.

"When do we tell Jack?" she asked.

"As soon as possible," he responded, kissing her.

"Before Libby died, the last thing she said was Michael's name. I think she was naming her killer," she told him. "I'm glad I wasn't given the chance to make a deal with the devil to save my daughters' because it scares me that I might have betrayed people that I cared about to do it."

Sayid touched her face. "I do not believe that you have that much duplicity in you to trade one life for another."

"But as Michael's proven, people do surprise you when put in impossible situations," she stated. "Claire thinks I should talk at the funerals."

Sayid caressed her face. "You knew them better than we did, it should be you or someone who made the trek from the other side of the island. You and Ana were co leaders, as Jack and John are here. It should come from you."

"I didn't even talk at my daughters' funerals, or my sister's. I really hate breaking down in public, showing emotion," she explained.

"If you decide to talk, you aren't going to be alone. And no one is going to blame you for breaking down," he stated, kissing her. "And no one is going to hold it against you if you find that it is too much for you to speak."

Mac nodded leaning against him.

"Jack's coming," he whispered in her ear. "Jack," he greeted, as Mac turned around.

"Jack," Mac greeted.

"How are you holding up Mac?" Jack questioned.

"Ok," she stated. "Did Eko and Locke get back?"

Jack nodded. "There back, they weren't able to find Gale."

Mac nodded, glancing at Sayid. "Does Eko know that the funeral is going to be soon?"

"He's in the hatch; he said that he was going to mourn in his own way," Jack explained.

"That sounds like Eko," she confirmed.

"Sawyer asked who would be talking at the funerals," he explained. "You're name came up," he offered.

"We were just discussing that," Sayid added. "She hasn't made a decision one way or the other yet," he explained, putting his arm around her.

Jack nodded in understanding, as they started to walk. "When the plane crashed I was on my way to Los Angeles to bury my dad.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sayid told him.

"Yeah, it seems like such a long time ago now. I was going to go right from the airport to the cemetery but I had no idea what I was going to say. Here we are again," Jack stated.

"We think Michael has been compromised," Sayid informed him as Jack stops walking. "Let's keep walking, Jack."

"What do you mean "compromised"?" he questioned.

"His actions are not those of a man who is telling the truth," Sayid informed him.

"Why would he lie to us?" Jack asked. "Mac you believe this too?"

Mac nodded. "I'm the one who brought it up Jack. He's a parent that is willing to do anything to get his child back."

"Because I believe a father would do anything for his son. Because I believe Michael may have freed Henry. And because I believe he is leading you into a trap," Sayid stated, walking with Mac.

"You believe a lot, Sayid," he stated.

"I also believed that Henry was one of them," Sayid reminded him.

"I believe that he had something to do with Ana Lucia and Libby's deaths too," Mac added.

"Alright, let's go talk to him," Jack offered.

"No, he must continue to believe he's in control," Sayid insisted.

"Why the hell would we want to do that?" he asked.

"So we can create an advantage," Sayid stated. "I don't like it much either Jack," he stated looking at Mac.

"But it has to be done," Mac answered.

"How are we supposed to create an advantage?" Jack asked.

"I don't know yet. But we have one more night to figure that out," Sayid answered.

Mac took a breath stopping before they got to the graves. "Go ahead; I just need a few minutes."

Jack nodded, leaving. "I'm not going anywhere," Sayid informed her touching her cheek.

Mac nodded looking at the holes in the ground. "I promised Ana I was going to do whatever it took to get the person who was responsible for this."

"We will," he assured her, kissing her.

Bernard cleared his throat coming up with Nathan. "Sorry, can we speak to you alone, Mac?"

"Yeah," she answered, nodding at Sayid she'll be ok. "What's up?" she asked as Sayid walked away.

"We want you to speak at the funerals," Nathan explained.

Mac took a breath. "That seems to be the consensus of the day. I am sure the two of you have reasons why I'm being elected."

"We think it should be one of us that do it," Bernard explained.

"Alright, then one of you do it," she offered.

Nathan shook her head. "After Ana, you were the second in command of our group. We think you should do it, for them, for us."

"It needs to be one of us Mac, one of the tale survivors," Bernard insisted.

Mac sighed. "Fine," she stated, walking in between them, to the grave site. Mac walked up and took Sayid's hand, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Jack goes to the center. "Mac?" he offered.

Mac cast a glance at Bernard and Nathan, before nodding. "Yeah, I'll do it," she stated, taking a breath, walking to where he was standing. "Ana Lucia Cortez was a very hard woman to get to know, or to understand. A lot of you didn't get a chance to really know her because she was guarded, but I was lucky enough to know her and call her my friend. We were lucky to have her on the other side of the island with us, because she was the reason we made it here. Libby Smith, she was a wonderful woman, who once got her mind set on something, or got an idea in her head, she wouldn't let it go. I was lucky to know these two women, and lucky to have them be at my side. They will be missed, by those whose lives they touched," she said, tears running down her face. "Good bye," she said.

Sayid came over to her taking her in his arms. "It's ok," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"Boat!" Sun yelled, pointing.

Mac and Sayid both looked.


	19. Chapter 19

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 19**

Mac ran to the shore with the rest of them, looking out at the boat.

"Are we rescued?" Charlie asked, sounding excited.

"Saved?" one of the other survivors questioned.

"Perhaps it's _them_," Sayid commented bleakly.

"Sayid, Sawyer, let's go," Jack stated.

Sayid squeezed Mac's hand before jumping in the ocean with Jack and Sawyer, the three of them beginning the lengthy swim to reach the boat.

"You see anything?" Mac asked Kate, who had the binoculars at this point.

"No," Kate answered.

"Maybe it's a trap?" Charlie responded.

"What do you mean a trap?" Hurley asked.

"He means maybe it's them," Mac answered, casting a backward glance at Michael. "I don't think it's a trap, Charlie. The enemy usually don't approach from such a vulnerable spot."

_Mac walked into the apartment, after her run, soaking wet. _

"_I was getting worried - you should have called when it started raining," Jordan told her. "You ok?"_

_Mac grabbed a towel. "Just had an interesting run in with some Scottish guy who seemed to know what I was going through."_

"_Have you ever met him before?" Jordan quizzed her, sounding interested._

"_No," she answered, shaking her head. _

"_So this guy just came up to you, out of nowhere?" she questioned her older sister._

"_I was running, I stopped at some bleachers, it started raining, he appeared out of nowhere, told me I was going to catch my death of cold if I stayed out in the rain," she informed her._

"_What else?"_

"_He sat in the rain with me, said that things aren't always as bad as they seem at the moment, called me brother a few times, and told me that I would make a difference in someone's life again soon, then left," she explained._

"_That is a bit odd," her sister agreed. "Maybe you should go to the police?"_

_Mac laughed. "And say what Jordan? Yeah this strange guy sat with me in the rain and told me it's not as bad as it seems? Yeah, I think that would earn the grieving mother a one way trip to the nearest mental institute. It's not like he was threatening or anything, just odd. Or maybe he was just a figment of my imagination," she reasoned. "It's not like I don't have a lot of things going on, so maybe my mind made up some guy named Desmond to say what I needed to hear. Doesn't matter anyway. I'm going to bed," she informed her sister._

Mac watched as Jack, Sayid and Sawyer clambered off the boat, which had been steered to shore, cautiously approaching Sayid. "Well?"

Sayid kissed her. "It was the man that we found living in the hatch, before you joined us."

"There was a man living in the hatch?" she questioned.

Sayid nodded. "Desmond."

Mac shot a glance over his shoulder. "Desmond?" she repeated, running past Sayid.

"Mackenzie!" Sayid called after her, running after her.

Mac joined Jack where he was talking with the man in question.

"You…." she stated, sounding spooked.

"You know him?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow out of curiosity.

Desmond looked up, taking a drink from the bottle. "We've met," he answered.

"You get around," Jack told Desmond as Sayid approached. "So, before you ran off, I guess you just forgot to mention that you still have a sailboat. Why'd you come back?"

"Do you think I did it on purpose? I was sailing for two and half weeks, bearing due West and making 9 knots. I should have been in Fiji in less than a week. But the first piece of land I saw wasn't Fiji, was it? No. No, it was here—this, this island. And you know why? Because this is it. This is all there is left. This ocean and this place here. We are stuck in a bloody snow globe! There's no outside world! There's no escape! So, just go away, huh. Let me drink. Go on all of you," Desmond dismissed them, unable to resist asking before they walked away, "Are you still pushing it?"

"Yeah, we're still pushing it," Jack answered, walking away alongside Sayid and Mac.

"You know him?" Sayid asked her.

"We met briefly," she answered, a bit distracted.

"Jack, on the way to the funeral we told you that Michael had been compromised by the Others, and then you asked me how we might take advantage of that. I believe fate has given us our answer—the boat," Sayid told him, putting his arm around Mac.

"The boat?" Jack enquired, puzzled.

"This camp Michael is leading you to across the Island—that is where they will set their trap. While Michael leads you by land, I can approach far more quickly by sea. And I can go ashore undetected," he informed him.

"Go ashore and do what?" the other man asked.

"Scout them—their numbers and positions, their weapons. Then I'll go to the nearest beach and start a signal fire with these ," he said holding up leaves. "They burn with a dark, black smoke. You, Mac and your team will come to meet me at the signal and we will go in together," Sayid instructed.

"We're not even sure if Michael's been turned by them," Jack insisted.

"He has been turned," both Sayid and Mac answered in unison.

"I'll have to tell Kate, and Hurley and Sawyer what we're doing," Jack stated.

"No. Michael cannot sense we know he is lying. All we have is the element of surprise, Jack. Right now it's only your responsibility, and Mac's, to keep it secret," Sayid told him earnestly.

"Mac, what do you think?" Jack asked.

"I don't like that we're putting Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley, or for that matter ourselves, in danger. But, the less people that know what is going on, the better chance of success," Mac answered. "Element of surprise."

"Black smoke, huh?" Jack questioned.

"This time they will know that _we_ are coming," Sayid confirmed.

"He'll have to wait to go to Desmond about the boat until after we leave," Mac stated. "To keep up the matter of surprise," she added.

Jack nodded. "Are you going to be able to keep Michael from knowing you know?" he questioned Mac.

"I can and I will," she answered. "I need to go pack my bag," she told Sayid, kissing him softly before leaving.

_Mac walked into the JAG office, heading over to her lawyer's office. "Captain Williams, thank you for seeing me on such short notice."_

_The man stood. "It isn't a problem Major," he said standing. "You sounded distracted on the phone," he added, offering her a seat from across his desk._

"_I want you to go to Robert's lawyer, offer him a deal," she informed him._

"_Major Grayson, may I ask why? We're ready to sit the jury," he questioned. "This is a cut and dry death penalty case."_

_Mac took a breath. "Will taking his life bring back my daughters? No, it won't, but sitting through this trial, it will essentially end my life. I don't have the strength to sit there day after day, listen to endless experts talk about my daughters' like nameless victims', or see pictures of autopsies. I need this to be over as quickly as possible so I can attempt to move on, to somehow claim what's left of my miserable existence. My medical leave from the Army will be over as soon as the trial is over, and as a Major in military intelligence, we both know that the chances of me being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan are fairly high," she explained._

"_You want that?" he asked. "You want to put your life at risk?"_

_Mac let out a laugh. "Please, do you really think that I care about being killed? No, but I do care about not being able to protect the people under my command. I'm resigning, but I can't do that until this is over. Because if I do, I lose my rights to a JAG lawyer."_

"_What kind of deal Major?" he asked._

"_The death penalty is off the table if allows the girls' last name to be changed to Grayson. And he sits down in front of me, looks into my eyes, and tells me why," she insisted._

"_Major, are you sure about this? Are you sure that is all you want for the murders of your daughters'?" he questioned, sounding unsure._

_She stood up. "My daughters are dead, and nothing will bring them back, Captain. But right now, I know I can't move on until this trial is dealt with."_

Mac walked up to where Desmond was sitting. "Hello Desmond," she stated.

"Can't a guy drink alone in private on this bloody island," he grumbled.

"You know that's bad for your health," she told him, nodding towards the drink, sitting down next to him. "And it does nothing to take away whatever's bothering you, it just covers it up."

"Mac, right?" he asked.

"That's right, Desmond. You know, when we met that day, I was having a really bad time, after we talked - well, you talked - it kind of made me think about a few things," she informed him.

"Well glad I could bloody help, but don't try to return the favor," he told her.

"I'm not, but I'm very curious about something, Desmond," she said.

"What is that, brother?" he asked, taking a drink.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that we both wind up on the same island?" she questioned.

"It is what it is brother," he answered flatly.

"So you don't think it's more than coincidence that we ran into each other a few years ago, and now here?" she repeated.

Desmond shrugged. "As I said, it is what it is. And considering I still believe we're in a bloody snow globe, this isn't a surprise."


	20. Chapter 20

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 20**

**Please review!**

Mac put her bag on back, ready to go meet Jack and the others. "You planning on going to talk to Desmond after we leave?"

Sayid nodded. "Yes," he answered. "I don't like that you have to go," he told her, kissing her.

"I don't like that any of us have to go," she stated. "But you have our back," she stated.

He nodded again. "Be careful," he told her, kissing her again.

"You too," she told him. "I better go before Michael gets suspicious. I love you," she told him.

"I love you too," he said, squeezing her hand as they went separate ways.

Mac walked up to the rest of the group. "Glad to see you waited for me," Mac said.

"Thought the Army taught you to be on time, GI Jane," Sawyer informed her.

Mac shook her head. "Still on time," she stated.

Jack tried to give a gun to Hurley.

"No way. I'm not even going to kill someone," Hurley stated.

"Ain't that the point?" Sawyer asked.

"I thought the point was to get Walt back?" Hurley asked.

"It is," Mac told him. "I prefer a rifle Jack," she told Jack.

Jack handed her one, giving Kate a gun, her looking pensive.

"What's the matter?" Jack asked.

"All that stuff we found in the medical station—costumes, make-up, fake beards—what if these people just want us to think they're hillbillies?" she asked.

"Listen, I was there. I saw them. They are hillbillies. They live in huts; they eat fish; they're probably more scared than we are. And they have no idea we're on our way," Michael stated.

"That doesn't mean that they don't want us to think they are, Michael," Mac stated.

"Alright, enough jibber-jabber, let's roll," Sawyer stated.

"Jibber Jabber? Really Sawyer?" Mac stated. "I'll take the rear spot," Mac stated, falling back.

"I'll take it," Michael stated.

"She said she would," Jack told him. "She knows what she's doing."

"Right," Michael stated.

_Jordan walked into the Mac's bedroom with Mason. "Someone's here to see you."_

_Mac looked up. "What the hell are you doing here Lt Mason?"_

"_I called him," Jordan informed her._

_Mac stood up. "What gave you that right?" she demanded._

"_Your lawyer called, told me what you asked him to do. I figured that you'd throw me out, but if both of us talked to you, maybe we could talk you out of it," Jordan stated._

"_Well you aren't going to talk me out of it, and I want both of you to leave, now," she informed them._

"_Mac," Mason said, coming over to her. "If you let him go, you're going to wind up regretting it one day."_

"_I'm not letting him go, I'm just asking for the death penalty to be taken off the table and not have to go through a trial. I can't go through that, ok? If the two of you care anything about me, you'll trust me that I am doing the best I can for me," Mac stated. "I'm asking you to trust me," she stated. "Jordan you told me that you would back me up, stand by me, well I'm asking you to do just that. And, Mason you don't have anything to do with this. I need you to leave right now," she ordered. _

Mac took out her camouflage soft cap from her bag putting it on as they walked through the jungle.

"So, these Others, you think they're left over from the DHARMA folk?" Sawyer asked Michael.

"I don't know, man," Michael answered.

"My theory, they're aliens. That's why they use the fake beards—their heads are made of pathetic," Sawyer responded.

"Prosthetic dude," Hurley answered.

"You can't even spell and now you're correcting me? What do you think, Freckles? Mac?" Sawyer asked.

"Just keep moving, we're being followed," Kate stated.

"What?" Sawyer asked.

"Just keep smiling. There's at least two of them across the river. In about 5 seconds I'm going to turn the tables on them," Kate told him, pretending to tie her shoe.

"Wait a second," Sawyer stated.

"You in?" Kate asked, right before they start shooting. "He's getting away!"

Jack, Mac and the rest run over to where Kate was.

"He's dead. We have to find the other one," Kate stated.

"No!" Jack yelled, as Mac walked over to Kate.

"I'm going. Sawyer," Kate stated.

Mac grabbed Kate's elbow. "Jack said no," she repeated.

"Are you two crazy? We let him go they'll know we're coming! He'll…" Sawyer stated.

"It doesn't matter if we catch him now! They've already been warned," Jack informed them.

"What do you mean "warned"?" Sawyer asked.

"Why don't you tell them, Michael?" Jack asked.

"Jack?" Kate questioned.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Michael insisted.

"Stop lying! Tell them," Mac ordered.

"Tell them what?" Michael questioned.

"I know what you're doing, Michael! Mac knows what you're doing! Now tell them the truth! Tell them!" Jack ordered.

"It was the only way. They gave me a list," Michael explained.

"What list?" Mac questioned.

"It had your names on it. I had to bring all five of you back, or they said I'd never see my son again!" Michael screamed.

"Goodwin had made a list of the 'good people' for them, my name was on that one too," Mac informed them

"Good? What do you mean good? I aint got a good bone in my body," Sawyer stated.

"I don't know, Sawyer," Mac answered.

"Who are they?" Jack asked.

Mac glanced at the deceased guy. "He was on the plane Jack, he was taken the first night."

"It's like I said—they live in a camp with huts. I swear, that's it," he insisted.

"You let Henry go?" Kate asked.

Michael nodded.

"Did you kill them? Ana Lucia and Libby? Did you?" Hurley asked.

"I had to, man. I, God, I couldn't find any other way. And Libby was a mistake. I, I didn't have time to think," Michael tried to explain.

"But if you did have time—you still would have killed her, right?" Hurley asked.

"I'm sorry. You understand—I am sorry. I'm sorry. I—my son! Mac, tell them what it's like. You understand? You would have done the same thing for your daughters'," he begged.

"No, Michael, I don't think I would have, because I would have had to look at my daughters' and know what I did," she explained.

"I'm going back," Hurley informed them.

"No, Hurley. Hurley, you can't!" Jack insisted.

"We're all going to get killed and you knew it! You let us come anyway," Hurley told him.

"It's too late to go back now, Hurley. We already caught them following us once. If they don't believe that we trust Michael, they'll kill us all! I'm sorry that I didn't say anything. But you have to know that I would never bring you out here if I didn't have a plan," Jack explained.

"It wasn't just you that kept it from them, Jack, I knew too. I always knew Michael, from the moment I saw Ana and Libby," she told him looking him straight in the eye.

"What plan?" Sawyer asked.

"Jack, go ahead, explain it to them, we shouldn't let Michael know what it is," she told him not finishing the statement.

Jack nodded. "Give us a two minute head start, and then join us," Jack instructed, gathering the others.

"Right," Mac answered, them walking away.

"You don't trust me," Michael told her.

Mac glared at him. "Please Michael tell me one thing that you have done since we met that would make me even remotely trust you. As far as I'm concerned, you're the enemy Michael. You may get your son back, but every day of your life you're going to remember that you sold your soul to the devil and that you're nothing but a cold blooded murderer."

"If you had let Sayid kill him, then they would still be alive!" he yelled.

Mac punched him in the stomach causing him to double over in pain. "This is all on you Michael; don't try to bring your guilt on me because you're the one who made the decision to kill them."

_Mac sat in the judge's chambers, with her lawyer and her sister, taking a breath. _

"_Major Grayson, your attorney has explained to me what you want to do. I want to make sure that you understand that if your attorney goes to your husband's attorney and they agree to this, that once everything is signed, you won't be able to change your mind and decide to pursue the death penalty. I can't tell you what to do, since I have to be fair to both parties. I am going to order you to see the court psychiatrist for a session before I rule on this decision."_

"_Sir, that isn't necessary," Mac insisted._

"_I think it is Major, so does your sister," the judge informed her._

_Mac turned and glared at her sister. "This isn't any of your business, Jordan. You didn't know them. You can't possibly know the fraction of pain I'm dealing with," she told her. "Your honor, for months now, people have told me I need to move on, to try to forget that my daughters' were murdered by their father," she stated, tears in her eyes. "If I can't do that now, do you think I'm going to be able to do that after I see autopsy pictures and crime scene photos. It's bad enough that I see Sophie lying in a hospital bed, with tubes through her, and that I had to make the decision to let her go. I can see the blood in Paige's room from when I walked in, but I don't need the image from the crime scene burned into my head. I've sat and thought about this endlessly, and if I have any hope for whatever normalcy is, I need this to be over. I'll talk to whoever you want me to talk to but, please make it today or tomorrow, because I need to put a final chapter to this part of my life." _

Mac stopped as they were walking, familiarizing herself with the area. "Jack, we're not going the right way to the beach," she told him.

Sawyer pointed at smoke. "Hey Doc," he said getting Jack's attention.

Mac turned and looked at Michael. "You're taking us in the wrong direction of the beach."

"Mac are you sure?" Kate asked.

"I spent 48 days walking from this side of the island," she stated.

"Michael, where were you taking us?"

"What?" "Michael asked.

"Sayid said that he'd light the signal so that we could meet him at the shore. Why aren't we going to the beach?" Jack asked.

"We are headed to the beach," Michael insisted.

"Jack, Sawyer, Hurley, Kate, run now!" she ordered, turning and shooting.

"Look, I had to," Michael stated.

"What?" Jack exclaimed.

Mac turns around hearing whispers, before her and Sawyer are hitting the ground.

"Sawyer! Mac!" Kate yells.

"Run! Go, go!" Jack yells

Kate and Jack start running. Hurley crouches and covers his head. Michael stands there.

"Wait!" Michael yelled.

Mac felt herself being pushed to the ground, the hood being taken off her head, her seeing the others, minus Michael, beside her. Mac focused her eyes on Michael, keeping them on him.

I'm not happy about the arrangement that was made with you Michael, but we got more than we bargained for when Walt joined us, so I suppose this is what's best. And you let me go, set me free—you lived up to your word. We live up to our word, too. Do you know how to drive a boat?" Gale asked Michael.

"Yeah, I can drive a boat," Michael tells them.

"Good, then you're going to take this boat and follow a compass bearing of 325, and if you do that exactly, you and your son will find rescue," he told him.

"That's it? I follow the bearing and I and my son get rescued?" Michael asked.

"Yes," he answered.

"How do you know I won't tell people about where I was?" Michael asked.

"Maybe you will, maybe you won't. But it won't matter. Once you leave, you'll never be able to get back here. And my hunch is you won't say a word to anybody because if you do, people will find out what you did to get your son back," Gale told him.

"My friends—I was promised you wouldn't hurt them," Michael said.

"A deal's a deal," Gale assured him.

"Who are you people?" Michael asked.

"We're the good guys, Michael. Alright, she's all yours," Gale told him

"What? What, am I stupid? Where's my son?" he exclaimed.

"Walt's inside," Gale told him.

"Bon voyage, Michael," Gale tells him

"Walt!" Michael yells for his son. Mac tries to follow Michael by turning her head; one of the other's hitting her in the face.

"Eyes forward," he yelled.

Mac hears Jack try to say something through his gag; she figures it's trying to tell her to behave.

"Dad! Dad!" Walt cries.

"Come here, come here," he tells his son. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he answers his father.

"You sure? Okay, I've got you now. It's going to be okay now. We're going home, Walt. We are going home," he tells his son.

Mac watches as a black woman removes Hurley's gag. "Hugo, you can go back to your camp," she tells him.

"What?" Hurley asks.

"Go back. Your job is to tell the rest of your people they can never come here," she says.

"But what about my friends?" Hurley asked.

"Your friends are coming home with us," Gale answered.

"Go," the black woman tells him.

Hurley looks at the four hostages, Jack and Mac both nod at him to leave as Michael takes off in the boat, and the hoods are put back on.


	21. Chapter 21

**SINK OR SWIM**

**Chapter 21**

_Mac arched her eyebrow at the Major as she sat across from him discussing troop deployment. "I thought you wanted to discuss troop deployment, Major Rodriguez?"_

"_No, it's actually about the way you always seem to know when something isn't quite right, just like now," he stated. "I went into your personnel file, actually, looked into your medical file. I don't believe in all that psychic stuff, Lt. Grayson."_

"_Neither do I, Major," she told him. "I'm not psychic, way from it. My extrasensory perception scores were a bit higher than regular people. I can't tell you what's going to happen next week, hell I can't tell you what's going to happen in a minute from now Major. I get a sense of something not being right, usually a minute before something happens. I usually can't even tell you what is wrong, and it's not 100% of the time that I get my 'Spider Senses'," she told him. _

"_So you aren't psychic?" the Major asked._

"_Far from it sir," Mac answered. "I'm just a good soldier who happens to be able to tell when things aren't right, about 10% of the time. I'm sure you agree with me that isn't a very accurate rate of success. You don't have anything to worry about, I'm not going to be reading your mind, or blowing up tanks."_

Day one and Two in "Camp Other"

Mac's eyes shot open, sitting up on the cot, removing the band aid and cotton ball from her arm, immediately standing up, familiarizing herself with the room. "Jack! Kate! Sawyer!" she yelled, going to the glass, pounding on it. "Jack! Kate! Sawyer!" she screamed again, turning looking around the room, spotting the camera. "Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked, feeling the wall for weaknesses. "Ben if you're watching, you better hope I never get out of here, because if I do, you're a dead man. I should have let Sayid kill you, but don't worry, I'll remedy that problem. I don't make the same mistake twice," she informed the camera, trying the door. "If you hurt one hair one any of my friends' heads', I'll hurt you worse," she warned, turning away from the camera, catching her breath. "So, you kidnap us and lock us away separate from each other and don't even have the decency to come and say good morning? That isn't very nice host skills," she informed the camera, feeling her way around the room.

"Mackenzie, I need you to sit down," a female voice informed her.

"Well I need to see my friends, so I guess neither one of us is going to get what we need," Mac informed the other woman.

"Your friends are fine," the woman answered.

"Forgive me if I don't take your word for that," she answered. "You people aren't exactly the most honest people, are you?"

"We aren't the bad people, Mackenzie. If you cooperate, and let us help you, you'll see that," the woman stated. "How long do you think you're going to be able to hold off that panic attack that's brewing?"

Mac kept her eyes straight ahead paying attention to what she was doing.

"Mackenzie, I'm a therapist, I understand that being locked in small spaces are hard for you," she told the other woman. "You want to know something; this is hard for me, talking to you."

"Yeah, well, forgive me if I don't say sorry," she told her.

"My name is Harper Stanhope, you killed my husband Goodwin. I don't like that you're here, but the decision has been made that somehow you're good. Now, I need you to sit down, so I can open the door, and we can take a walk," she informed the other woman.

"And I'm just supposed to believe that you are going to forgive me for killing Goodwin? And, if you're waiting for me to apologize for killing your husband, I'm not going to," she told her. "Sorry you want to take a walk, then come and get me," Mac told the other woman.

"So you can attack me? I don't think so," Harper told her. "I'm going to win this standoff, Mackenzie, because you aren't going to be able to keep your act up much longer. No matter how much training you have had, prolonged exposure to this space, being shut in, with no way out, it's going to happen. I applaud you for holding out this long," Harper told her.

Mac sat down, looked straight at her. "Grayson, Mackenzie Jennifer Major United States Army, 155-22-3745."

Harper shook her head walking away.

"Jack heard her yelling, you took too long to get to her," the blond woman told her.

"Excuse me Juliette, but all you have a surgeon to handle. I'm assigned an Army intelligence officer who knows a whole lot more ways of killing someone then we are even aware of," she told her. "And, I'm sorry but, I have a big problem having to deal with the woman who killed my husband. You should have the same problem, since Goodwin was sleeping with you," she told her. "She wasn't on this list; I don't know why Ben added her."

"She kept the Iraqi from killing him, in Ben's eyes that redeemed her," Juliette told her.

"It doesn't in mine," Harper told her, walking away.

_Mac looked up as Sgt Austen walked into her tent in Iraq. "Got my message that I wanted to see you?" _

"_Yes LT. and from the sound of it, I've already done something that you disagree with and we've only been on the ground for 24 hours," he answered, sitting down._

"_I got your patrol lists," she informed him._

"_There's a problem?" he asked._

"_I seem to be visibly absent from them, Sgt," she told him._

"_Permission to speak freely Lt. Grayson?" he asked._

"_Permission granted," Mac answered._

"_As you know Mac, the rules on women in combat are still very fierce and we're in a Muslim country, where women aren't allowed to speak to men that aren't part of their immediate family," he stated. "Major Rodriguez mentioned he was worried what would happen if you were captured," he informed her._

"_Really?" she asked._

"_Yes, and I have to agree with him, and if you think about it, so will you. My job is to protect you, and this is one way to do it," he told her. "In Korea or Vietnam, you wouldn't have even been in this unit," he told her._

"_I am quite aware of that," she told him._

"_I'll get the information, we bring it back here, you go through it," he told her. "And the troops and I have one less thing to worry about out on patrols," he told her._

"_I'm going to hold you personally responsible for anything that happens out there," she warned him._

"_I'd not have it any other way," he stated._

Mac sat on the cot, calming her breathing, not succeeding very well. She cast a glance up at the recording instruments, as well as the speakers.

"They need you," she heard the speaker say in the voice of her eldest daughter.

Mac took a breath looking forward, closing her eyes, counting silently.

"Mackenzie, I'm coming in," Harper stated.

"So you decided to come and get me did you?" she asked.

"Believe me, this isn't my choice," she answered. "But I need you to put your feet on the ground and your hands on your knees. The sooner you do that, the faster you get to take a walk, and get something to eat. You're head is probably hurting and you're throat is dry," she informed her. "It's the medicine we gave you to get you over here."

Mac glanced at her, doing what she was told.

"Don't try anything," she warned.

"I wouldn't think of it," Mac answered, as she opened the door, turning and closing it. Mac jumped up from the cot grabbing her neck from behind. "You really didn't believe me did you?" she asked.

"I was hoping you'd trust me," Harper told her, grabbing her arm flipping her over. "Don't make this harder than it has to be," she told her.

"Trust is earned," she said, punching Harper. "And none of you have earned it," she told her getting up, taking a breath grabbing the wall feeling dizzy.

Harper stood wiping the blood from her nose. "That's the medicine making you feel light headed. You can stay here for all I care, I'm done," she said, walking out.

Mac took a breath, rubbing her wrist. "Sayid," she thought to herself.


	22. Chapter 22

**SINK OR SWIM**

**Chapter 22**

***please review***

Day 3 and 4 in "Otherville"

Juliette watched Harper in Ben's office. "I'm not going back in there, she broke my nose!"

"You turned your back on her," Ben stated. "Jack tried to drown Juliette last night, but she's going back."

"Well that's her, I'm not," Harper said.

"I'll go, but I'll need to take Jack," Juliette stated.

"Out of the question," Ben told her.

"She didn't sleep at all last night, her wrist is obviously swollen, and she hasn't eaten or drank anything since she got here Ben. She may be in a weakened state, but even in a weakened state she's still stronger than most of the men on this island, and she's not going to be easily broke either. You know that or you would have immediately started having her brainwashed," Juliette told him.

"Why don't we just kidnap the Iraqi and shoot him in front of her and maybe she'll be a little bit more corruptive," Harper stated.

"Right, that'll just give her more of a reason to fight," Juliette told her.

"Has her tests came back yet?" Ben asked.

"No even if they had it's too early to tell," Juliette answered.

"Am I interrupting something?" a woman asked, climbing down the ladder where they were.

"Would it really matter if you were Colleen?" Juliette asked.

"We have a situation - Ryan radioed in - the Iraqi found the decoy village," Coleen told them.

"Good, it's what we wanted," Ben answered.

"Ryan followed him back to the shore and they have a sailboat," Colleen told them.

"How?" Ben exclaimed.

"I have no idea," Colleen answered.

"So they have a boat - sailing in circles will keep them busy," Juliette answered.

"They could find us," Colleen answered.

"I say let them find us, capture the Iraqi, at this point it may be the only way to get Mackenzie too corporate," Harper responded.

"I've already told you an alternative to that plan," Juliette responded.

"Ben?" Colleen asked.

"I'm thinking. How quickly can you put together a team?" he asked.

"Within the hour, Ben," she answered.

"Then don't waste time talking to us. Hey Colleen, I want that boat," Ben told her as she exited. "Harper, you're relieved from dealing with Mackenzie. Juliette do you think you're plan will work?"

"I don't know, but it's better then what is happening so far," she stated, glancing at Harper. "Her wrist is going to need some work, probably x-rays, possibly surgery. And I'm not a surgeon," she reminded them.

"First things first, get her to let you in that cell, get food in her and get her some fresh air. If that means Jack has to be with her, then fine," Ben told her. "It's not the preferred method, but at this point, it's all we have"

Juliette nods, going to Jack's aquarium. "Jack, I need your help, actually Mac needs your help," she told him.

"What did you do to her?" he asked, standing up.

"I didn't do anything to her," she replied. "The person assigned to her wasn't able to get her to eat or drink anything the past two days. When Harper entered her cell last night, Mac attacked her, they fought, Mac injured her wrist and she's delirious from a mixture of panic attacks, and the drugs. I know she won't listen to any of us, or allow any of us in there. She'll injure herself more, and weaken even more. She needs to get something in her system in the next few hours or she isn't going to be able to recover."

Jack sat down. "Are you going to leave me alone with her?"

"I'm going to do whatever needs to be done Jack, we aren't the bad people," Juliette told him. "If you try another trick like you did last night Jack, Mackenzie dies. Her life is in your hands, do we understand each other?"

"Yes," Jack answered.

On the Shore:

Sayid arranged the wood on the dock, looking across. "I'm not abandoning you Mac," he thought to himself. "You are not alone," he said to himself. Sun brought him a gas can. "Thank you," Sayid answered.

"What else can I do?" Sun asked.

"Help your husband. We need as much wood as we can find," Sayid told her.

"We're building quite a large fire," Sun noticed.

"We have to make sure Jack will see the smoke," Sayid responded.

"Why are you lying to me, Sayid?" she questioned.

"And what would you know about lying, Sun?" he challenged.

"You're putting our lives in danger," she told him as she started to leave.

"I'm fairly certain our friends have been captured. There are tracks all over the dock. They're fresh - as recent as yesterday," he responded.

"You said this dock was abandoned," she reminded him.

"That would be part of the lying you mentioned," Sayid answered.

"Are you doing this for all of them or just for Mac?" she questioned.

Sayid looked at her. "I'm doing it for all of them," he answered.

"You're not building this fire for our people; you're building it for the Others," she reasoned. "

"I suspect that when they see the smoke they'll send a scout party to investigate. By then it will be night. When they arrive, I'll ambush them. I'll take two of them hostage, and I'll kill the rest," he responded.

"Two?" she asked.

"One to make the other cooperate," he explained.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to lie to Jin for another 20 minutes," he stated.

"Why?" she questioned.

"Because once the fire is lit it will be too late to go back," he answered.

Hydra Station:

Jack entered the cell where Mac was, her head turning when he entered. "Mac, it's Jack, it's ok," he said.

"Jack?" she asked, above a whisper.

"Yes," he answered, going over. "Well you got a cot, that's better than I was given," he teased, sitting down. "I'm going to check you out ok? I heard you gave them hell?"

"I tried," she answered.

Juliette walked closer. "Can I do anything Jack?" she asked.

Mac sat up, trying to get up. "Who is she?"

"Step back Juliette, I've got it. Hey Mac, lay back down for me, ok?" he asked, taking her pulse. "I need you to try and eat something, Mac. The stuff they gave us to bring us over here, it has horrible side effects. You're clammy, your pulse is rapid, and your head is probably killing you right?"

"Why are you…working for them?" Mac questioned.

"I'm not, Mac, I'm doing this for you. You need your strength, we need you, Sawyer, Kate, and me," he told her. "Sayid would be very mad at me if you didn't make it back with us," he told her.

"Jack," Juliette warned.

"I'm handling it my way," he informed her. "Juliette makes pretty good soup, she's going to go get you some, and then you're going to eat it slowly. I'll be right here with you, ok?"

Mac nodded. "Sawyer? Kate?" she asked.

"I haven't seen them, but I'm sure there fine," he told her. "Juliette, why don't you bring her some of that soup, and water, lots of it," he asked, feeling Mac's wrist.

"Right," she said leaving.

"You don't trust her do you?" Mac asked hoarsely.

"I tried to drown her last night, so no, I don't. But obviously she has some kind of pull over our former house guest; she got me in to see you. Listen to me ok?" he told her, slapping her face lightly. "Mac stay with me!" he yelled at her, seeing her eyes flutter open. "Good," he stated, relieved. "This is me, Mac, not them. I need you to answer me honestly ok? Have you had any hallucinations or heard any voices?" he asked.

Mac nodded. "My daughters'," she told him. "Voices, though, here at least," she answered hoarsely.

"Ok, that's the drugs," he answered, as Juliette came back. "Her wrist may have a fracture," he told the other woman.

"We can take her to another building for an x-ray," she offered.

"Not anytime soon," Jack informed her, getting the soup. "Ok a few sips at first ok?" he told Mac. "After this, you need to rest some," he informed Mac.

Day 5 and 6 in "Otherville"

Mac opened her eyes, looking around. "Jack!" she screamed, looking at her wrist, being bandaged.

"He's ok, Mac, he sat up with you for over 24 hours, I had to take him back to get some rest," Juliette told her.

"What…are you doing here?" she questioned.

"Jack insisted someone stay with you, someone who was a doctor and I am a doctor," she informed the other woman. "I'm not the enemy," she told her. "You still aren't strong enough to fight, so please don't or you'll hurt yourself," Juliette instructed, bringing over more soup. "

"I'm sick and tired of hearing 'we're not the enemy' from you people, you've acted like nothing but the enemy," she informed her

"You threw up several times after you ate, and you were in and out of consciousness," she explained. "Jack was afraid you weren't going to make it," she told her, watching her start to eat. "Mac I know about your daughters' and I'm sorry," Juliette told her.

Mac glared at her. "What the hell do you know about my daughters?"

"I know that they were murdered by a man that you thought at one time loved you," she told her. "And, I know that you think you're in love with Sayid now, but the only thing you have in common with him is your army backgrounds," she told her. "You feel guilty because of what your unit did to an Iraqi to get information out of another prisoner to recover the body of the American pilot," Juliette stated.

"Get out," Mac warned her.

"That Iraqi was Sayid," she told her. "You've been sleeping with the man you're unit turned."

"You're lying," Mac whispered.

"No, I'm not and you know it. For years you've been eating yourself up with guilt about what they did to him, what you could have prevented, and you both wind up on the same plane, and the same island. Do you think that if you ever got back to him, you could look into his eyes and have him trust you ever again?" she asked. "Do you really want to risk that pain of being rejected Mac?"

Mac grabbed her pushing her against the wall. "You're lying," she told her. "You're playing head games," she said, grimacing in pain.

Juliette removed Mac's hand from her throat, sitting back on the cot with her, removing the bandage. "Believe what you need to believe," she told her. "You need to be careful of that wrist," she warned. "Maybe tomorrow, you'll be strong enough to take a walk," she said, getting up, walking out.

"Good job Juliette," a man told her.

"Thank you Ben," she answered.

Day 7 and 8 in OtherVille:

Mac shook her hair out after the hood was taken off of her head, familiarizing herself with the room, seeing Jack and the dead body of a woman. "Jack!" she stated, going over. "Who is she?" she asked.

"Her name is Coleen," Juliette answered.

"You're like a bad penny, keep showing up every time I turn around," Mac told her.

"Why did you bring her here?" Jack asked, nodding toward Mac.

"I thought she'd be safer here then alone, with Danny on the warpath," she responded.

"Someone mind filling me in? Who the hell is Danny?" Mac asked.

"Danny was Colleen's husband, and one of your people was responsible for putting the bullet in her. He already attacked Sawyer, and it won't take much for him to blame you since Sayid's was on the boat," Juliette responded. "I should have gotten you sooner, Jack," she told him.

"What is he doing handcuffed? Is this the way you treat someone who's helped you?" she asked.

"It's ok Mac," Jack told her. "It wouldn't have mattered. There wasn't any more that you could have done. She was - she was dead before you put her on the table," Jack explained.

"Are you just saying that to make me feel better?"

"I don't care about making you feel better," he responded.

"I'm going to take you back now. Um, I'm sorry for bringing you here," Juliette told him. "Mac, you can stay out for a few. You can take a shower, I'll bring you back."

Mac looked at Jack. "No, we go back together," she informed her.

"Who's x-rays are those? Outside? Those are spinal x-rays. They belong to a man about 40 years old. And whoever he is, he has a very large tumor on his L-4 vertebrae. And I just happen to be a spinal surgeon. So, you tell me, Juliet, who am I here to save?" Jack asked.

"Come on," Juliette told the both of them.

In the evening of day 8:

"You should have taken her up on her offer," Jack stated, checking her wrist.

"And risk being separated?" she asked. "We may be in separate underground cages, but at least we're near each other. I think they have Kate and Sawyer together too. Those X rays you were talking about? The ones that Juliette wouldn't answer you about, do you think they belong to Gale?"

"Ben, that's his real name, and yeah," he answered. "You're still a bit dehydrated," he informed her.

"Hey I've been following your orders to a tee," she told him. "Just sitting here, drinking, eating, all the good stuff an underwater sea creature should do," she stated.

"Yeah does feel like we should be putting on shows, doesn't it?" Jack asked. "No more grabbing people with this wrist until it can heal," he told her, standing up. "I see the guard's hear to take me back, I'll see you tomorrow," he told her, squeezing her good hand.


	23. Chapter 23

**SINK OR SWIM**

**Chapter 23**

Day 9 and 10 in Otherville:

Mac opened up her eyes as she heard the glass door open. "Jack?" she questioned.

"No, Mackenzie, it's not Jack," the man answered, coming in, bringing a chair with him sitting down.

"Henry, or should I say Ben?" she greeted.

"Yes, I see Jack told you," he stated. "I want to apologize for not coming to see you sooner," he told her. "I also hadn't planned for you to be still locked in here after a week," he stated.

"I see your face is healing nicely," Mac told him.

"It's funny that our positions are reversed now, isn't it?" he asked. "You kept Sayid from killing me and now I'm going to have to keep Pickett from killing you."

"You better let him kill me, because if you do let me live and I get out of here, I'll kill you myself," she told him. "But, according to Jack, the cancer probably will kill you faster than I could, considering my shooting hand is injured," she told him.

"I'm sorry Mackenzie, I don't know what you're talking about with the cancer," he responded.

Mac shrugged. "Oh I'm sure you do," she told him. "You just don't want to show weakness in front of your POW'S. So how long are you planning on keeping me in here Ben?"

"I was hoping you'd be out among us by now," he told her. "But Harper was too eager to blame you for Goodwin's death and came in to soon. You're Army training came in, and you fought back. The only way to get any food into you or to trust anyone was to get Jack to come in. Your wrist has a small fracture in it, which you made worse by attacking Juliette," he informed her.

"Well there's something about being held captive that gets me in a fighting mode," she told him. "The difference in my position and the position you were in just a week or so ago is that you attacked us," she informed him. "From the time we landed on this island, we were only trying to protect ourselves from you and your kind. And this whole, we're the good people; I'm going to punch out the next person who says that to me. And, if you didn't know, I can punch with my left hand," she informed him.

"We need to discuss your ESP abilities," Ben told her.

"There's nothing to discuss Ben. I'm not psychic," she told him.

"I know you aren't but you do have the ability to know when things aren't what they seem," he told her.

Mac turned and looked at him. "I have no idea what you mean Ben."

Ben stood up, throwing a white shirt at her. "I'll come and get you this evening, Jack will be there too. We're going to go to Colleen's funeral," he said, leaving. "Mackenzie, do you think if Sawyer, Kate and Jack had the chance to escape that they would include you?"

"Mind games aren't going to work on me Ben," she stated.

"It's just a question. You weren't part of their group; you weren't able to build bonds. Do you really think that 26 days in their camp is going to make you a true part of them?" he asked walking away.

Beach camp:

Sayid sat on the beach, looking up at the stars, taking a breath.

"You think she's ok?" Claire asked coming up behind him.

"It's odd that you asked me if she was ok and not all of them, Claire," Sayid stated.

"Not really, Sayid. I know how you feel about her; anyone can see it when you look at her. You feel like you let Mac down, by not being able to protect her," Claire told him. "She wouldn't blame you and she wouldn't want you to blame yourself," Claire told him.

"I do blame myself Claire, and yes, I am worried about her more than the others, but I also know if anyone can handle herself, its Mac," he stated. "Just coming back and finding Eko the way he is, it's just making it harder. I can't do anything for him any more then I can for Mac."

"All you can do is do the best you can, so when she comes back, and she will come back, is tell her that you did the best you could," Claire said, touching his shoulder. "You know she may be looking up at the same stars thinking about you," she said, walking away.

Sayid looked back at Claire, then back at the stars. "I love you Mac," he said above a whisper.

OtherVille:

Mac glanced at Jack as Ben walks them to Colleen's funeral, telling them to stay there. "He finally graced me with a personal appearance today," she told Jack.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"Oh he's still trying to convince me that he isn't bad," Mac stated. "And he's denying the cancer," she told him.

"He did the same to me," Jack asked, taking her wrist. "How's it feeling?"

"Ok," she stated.

"We could put a cast on it," Juliette told them coming up from behind them. "I hate funerals," she told them. "He let you out?"

"Obviously," Mac told her.

"Gave us new shirts too," Jack answered.

"No thanks on the cast," Mac stated.

Juliet watches the funeral proceed. "By Jack, Mac," she says, leaving.

Mac looked up at the stars, taking a breath. "I love you Sayid," she said quietly. "Jack, tell me you have a plan?"

"I'm working on it," he told her, squeezing her good hand.

"Live together die alone right?" she asked.

"Right," he answered, looking at her. "Mac what did he say to you?"

"He asked if I thought if you, Kate, and Sawyer had a chance to escape if you'd include me, or try and get me, since I've only been part of your group for 26 days," she confessed.

Jack looked at her taking hold of her shoulders. "Don't let him do this ok? Don't let them put doubts in your head. I know you've had training about mind control in the Army, fight it. Live together die alone."

"Live together die alone," she repeated.

Day 11 in Otherville:

Mac stood seeing Juliette bringing Kate in right outside the glass of her tank.

"Kate!" she stated, going to the door.

"Tell Jack he has to do the surgery on Ben, please, they're going to kill Sawyer!" she begged.

"Kate, calm down!" Mac begged.

"Jack refuses to do the surgery on Ben, I just talked to him, begged him to or they'll kill Sawyer," Kate stated.

"We're dead anyway, you know that Kate," she stated, looking at her. "I can't," she told her. "I made a mistake once by letting that SOB live, I can't do it again," she told Kate. "I'm sorry Kate," she said, taking a breath as Juliette walks Kate away.

Mac turned away from the camera, wiping her eyes, going to her cot taking a breath, sitting there, looking up as Jack comes in later. "Kate was here," she told him.

"I know," he said, coming over. "I'm doing the surgery, tomorrow. I told Ben I was only going to do it with you there," he told her, unwrapping her wrist.

"Jack, I don't know anything about surgery," she told him. "What changed your mind?"

"You had emergency medical training," he reminded her. "I changed my mind because it's the right thing to do," he told her.

"I was in the operating room twice! And I never performed surgery," she insisted.

"You don't have to perform it," he told her. "It gets you out of here, and after we'll put a cast on this. It's not healing properly," Jack told her, leaning closer, brushing against her ear. "Live together die alone," he said, kissing her cheek.

Mac nodded. "Ok Jack," she stated, looking at him. "And what exactly am I going to be doing?"

"Just helping Juliette and me out," he told her. "I trust you more than I do Juliette to follow my instructions without question," he told her.

"I got your back Jack," she told him, squeezing his hand.

Day 12 in Otherville:

Mac grimaced as she scrubbed her hand with the bad wrist, Jack looking over. "You ok?"

"Yeah, fine," she answered. "Someone's going to have to tie my mask for me," Mac informed them.

"I got it," Juliette told her, helping her.

"This is going to be a very tricky procedure. If I tell you to do something I need you to do it then and there, no questions asked," he told them.

"You may find this very hard to believe, but I've always been very good at just following orders," Juliette answered.

"Is that a yes?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Juliette answered.

"Mac?" he asked Mac.

"No problem, Jack, you're the boss," she told him, meeting his eyes.

"Good. Let's go," Jack told them, as they entered the OR where Ben is on the stretcher, face down, already prepped for surgery.

Mac glanced around, noticing two more assistants in the room.

"Do you get nervous? Before you do surgery?" Ben asked.

"I used to. Not anymore, no," Jack answered.

"You're helping to save my life again Mackenzie," Ben told her.

"I noticed, and it's Mac," she stated, glancing at Jack.

"Whatever happens, everything will be very different, won't it?"

"No doubt about it," Jack answered.

"Juliet. Did Alex ask about me?" Ben asked.

"No. We took her home last night. I don't know where she is now," she answered.

"Well, see you on the other side," he said placing his head down. "I'm ready."

"I need you to count down from twenty," Jack told him.

"Twenty, nineteen," he obliged, drifting out at 18.

"Scalpel," he instructed.

Mac took a breath handing him one. Mac watched Jack work, her and Juliet taking turns.

"Hand me another hemostat," he tells Juliet. "Swab again," he tells Mac, as she does it.

Mac notices Jack making a small deliberate cut, the blood pressure machine immediately beeping.

"What happened? Is he Ok?" Juliet asked.

"His blood pressure's dropping. He shouldn't be bleeding like that!" Ivan told them.

"Nope, no, he shouldn't," Jack stated as he punches Ivan out, him crashing into a small table.

"Back away from the table, Juliet," Jack told her.

"Jack..." Juliet said, it being obvious Mac was caught off guard too.

"Back away from the table! Now!" Jack warned. "Mac come with me," he told her as Juliet steps away, Jack pulling down his mask and having Mac do the same. He goes and meets eyes with Tom. "Can you hear me in there?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Tom answered.

"Good. I just made a small incision in Ben's kidney sac. Now, if I don't stitch that back up in the next hour, he's dead. Now get in here, and bring in two walkie talkies!"

Mac took a breath watching him as Tom walked in. "Hand your gun and a walkie talkie to Mac," he ordered, standing over Ben. Mac took them both.

"You forget Jack her gun hand is injured," Juliet told them.

Mac switched the gun to her left hand, lifting it up, firing a perfect shot at the glass where Tom just came from. "Well it's a good thing I taught myself how to shoot with both hands before I deployed to Iraq," she informed her. "You noticed," she told Jack.

"I noticed," he stated. "How far away is it to where Jack and Sawyer are being held?" he asked Juliet.

"Five minutes," she told them.

"You take her there," he told Ivan, who was struggling to get up. "If I don't here from her in five minutes, I'm going to make another incision which takes his time to live down to thirty minutes," he told him. "Five minutes starts now," he told them.

"Jack," Mac stated.

"Go," he told her. "When you get there, call me, we go from there."

"Come on, Ivan," she tells him, pushing him with the gun. "Double time it," she told him, making him run.

Mac smiles softly as she feels the rain hit her, feeling a gun against her head.

"I knew you'd be trouble," Harper informed her. "Drop it," she ordered Mac.

"That's not such a good idea," Mac told her. "Tell her Ivan!" she ordered. "If he dies, it's going to be on you Ivan!"

"If Jack doesn't hear from her in 5 minutes," he started.

"Actually, 3 minutes and 20 seconds," she corrected.

"If Jack doesn't hear from her at the cages in 3 minutes, Ben dies," he told her. "Let her go," Ivan told Harper.

"Then just have her radio him, we'll have a gun on her head," Harper told him.

"Might as well shoot me now, because I'll never make that call," she told Harper. "Less than 3 minutes, if you care," Mac hissed.

"Let's go," Harper told them.

"This is how it's going to work, Harper. You're going to take five steps back, you're going to drop the gun, you're going to kick it over to me, and then Ivan and I are going to continue our walk. Otherwise, you're going to have to put a bullet in my brain, and Ben dies. It's a win/win situation for me, win/lose situation for you," Mac told her. "I'm not afraid to die, and you know it. I have no problem letting Ben bleed to death, either. So the next decision is yours."

"Harper! Do it!" Ivan yelled at her.

Harper took a breath, stepping back, kicking the weapon toward her.

"Good," Mac told her, picking up the weapon going over to her, punching her out. "You better run as hard as you can, or we're not going to make it in time," she informed Ivan.

Mac heard Kate begging for Sawyer. "No, NO! Sawyer, PLEASE! You get your hands off of him!"

"Get on your knees!" the man yelled.

"Please! I'll do anything you want!" Kate begged.

"Drop it!" Mac told the man.

"What the hell?" the man asked still holding the gun to Sawyer's head.

"If I don't call Jack on this walking talkie in less than a minute, Ben dies," she told him.

"You're bluffing," he told her.

"She's not bluffing Danny," Ivan told him.

"I don't believe you," Danny told her.

Mac put the walkie talkie to her face pressing the button. "Jack, there's a situation, Colleen's husband is holding a gun on Sawyer, he says he doesn't believe me."

Jack yelling at someone, then a different voice comes on, one Mac recognizes as Tom. "Danny, are you there? Pick it up. Pick it up, Danny. Pick it up, damnit!"

"I'm here, WHAT?" he exclaimed.

"She's telling the truth, Danny. Give the walkie to Kate!" Tom yelled.

"Now why the hell would I do that?" he asked.

"I think I pretty well explained that," Mac stated, still holding the gun on Danny.

"Because if you don't, the doctor's gonna let Ben die!" Tom exclaimed.

"Jack he's not budging," Mac informed him, still holding the gun to his head. "You shoot Sawyer, I shoot you."

"Just hand her the damn walkie, Danny! Do it. Just do it now!

"Take his gun Mac," Jack tells her.

"You heard the man," she said, taking it still holding hers against his head. "Go on, give her the walkie. You're wasting valuable time."

"Let go of her," he tells the other man in the cage.

"Jack? Jack!" Kate yells into the walkie.

"Kate? You have about an hour head start before they come after you," Jack told her. "Mac probably has the exact time."

"Fifty four minutes," Mac responded.

"Where are you? Where are you? Mac can lead us back, get you," she stated.

"No," Jack answered. "You remember what I told you on the beach, the day of the crash. You remember what story I told you when you were stitching me up? DO YOU REMEMBER IT?" Jack yells.

"YES! Yes, I remember!" Kate told him.

"When you get safe, you radio me, and you tell that story," Jack told her.

"Jack, please," Kate begged.

"If I don't get a call from you in the next hour, I'm going to know something went wrong, and HE DIES!" Jack told him.

"I can't leave without you!" Kate begged.

"Yes, you are. Go!" Jack told her again.

"Kate, we don't have much lead way here," Mac told her.

"Jack! I can't!" Kate repeated.

"Go, now!"

"I can't!"

"Kate, dammit, RUN!" he told her again.


	24. Chapter 24

**SINK OR SWIM**

**Chapter 24**

Mac sticks her walkie talkie in the back of her pants, grimacing slightly, grabbing Danny.

"I got him," Sawyer told her, taking him banging his head against the food pellet button until he receives an electric shock, locking Ivan, Jason and him in.

"Let's go," Mac told them, as they took off.

"Well, it's nice of you to come and say hello after all this time GI Jane," Sawyer told her.

"Sorry, my dance card was full. Now do either one of you have any idea how to get to our island?" Mac questioned.

"If you can build a boat, we'd be in a whole lot better position," Sawyer responded.

"What do you mean a boat?" Mac asked.

"We're on a different island," Sawyer told her.

"We need a boat," Kate told them.

"Yeah, and a couple of towels and buffet lunch would be nice," Sawyer stated.

"We'll just keep following the beach. There's got to be one around here somewhere. How else would they get back and forth?" Mac asked.

"Why don't you stop and ask for directions?" Sawyer asked.

"Jack, are you there?

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm here," Jack answered.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he answered.

"Tell him I said hi - get to the point!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Jack, we need a boat. We need some way to get off this island," Kate told him.

Mac turned slightly.

"You heard her," he said to Tom. "How do they get off this island?"

"What's he doing?" Sawyer asked.

A shot is fired, hitting Mac's shoulder. "Son of a bitch!" she exclaimed, shooting back. "I'm out."

Sawyer grabs her. "Come on," he told them as another shot hit the walkie talkie Kate was holding. He pulled Mac behind a tree, firing. "I'm out."

Mac watches as a young woman shoots Jason with her sling shot. "This way," she instructed.

Mac grimaces as Sawyer helps her, watching Alex lifts the camouflaged top to a small pit dug in the ground. It completely blends in with the grasses in the area. "Come on, get inside. Get inside, go," she tells them.

Mac, Kate, Sawyer and Alex put a sigh a relief as they pass them.

"Nice to meet you, Sheena," Sawyer tells her, as they walk out. This a hobby of yours, Underdog - digging holes?"

"Yep, that and basket weaving, you want one?" Alex asked.

You wouldn't happen to have a tunnel to the mainland would you?" Mac asked

"No, but I've got a boat," she stated.

"Can we use it?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, but we've got to hurry," Alex told them.

"Hold on a second, sister. You just happen to find us in the woods? You just happen to have a boat, and you're going to let us use it, huh?" Sawyer asked.

"There's something we need to do first," Alex stated.

"Oh, gee," Sawyer responded.

"My boyfriend is being held prisoner. If you help me rescue him, I promise you I'll get you back to the other island," Alex told them.

"Your boyfriend - his name happen to be Karl?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered surprised.

"Aw, sheee, come on," Sawyer stated.

"Person bleeding here," Mac stated, pointing to her shoulder. "Superficial wound, but I shouldn't be gallivanting all over the island leaving a blood trail."

"Sawyer you stay, I'll go," Kate stated.

"Kate, if you go, remember that you're sacrificing Sawyer's and my lives if you go after Jack," Mac pointed out.

"I won't go after him," she promised. "Let's go," Kate told Alex.

"Let me look at that GI Jane," Sawyer stated, going over to her.

_Mac unloaded her weapon and took it apart to clean it. "We're in Somalia, on a humanitarian mission, and somehow two of my men are being held POW's. Explain to me Master Sgt. Williams, why we left them behind and didn't go in firing?"_

"_We didn't know what we were going to go up against, and we certainly didn't know if our men are alive," he answered, cleaning his weapon._

"_This is what I don't get, why didn't the Intel we gathered point to any hostiles in this area?" she asked._

"_I'm not sure Lt. Grayson," he answered._

"_Well I'm not sure isn't going to cut it to those two men's families when I write to them and tell them their sons' aren't returning home," she informed him. "I at least want to retrieve their bodies, for the families. I'm hoping they are still alive," she told him._

"_What's your gut feeling Lt?" he asked._

"_That we should never go back in that area again," she answered._

"_But you aren't going to listen to your gut are you?"_

"_No Master Sgt. I'm not," she answered._

Sawyer uncovered the canoe. "Come on One Hand Annie Oakley," he told Mac, helping her into the canoe. "You got him?" he asked Kate.

"I got him," Kate answered.

"Nice ride," Sawyer told Alex.

"Karl, we've got to go now, okay? Can you stand?" Kate asked Karl.

"Help me," Alex told Sawyer.

"Should I be in here until you get it out in the water?" Mac questioned.

"You weight a buck soaking wet, I can push the canoe with you in it," Sawyer told her. "So, you're the boss's daughter, huh? I never saw that coming," he said,

grabbing Karl to put him in the boat. "Let's go, Cheech; we're going for a little ride.

"Careful," Alex warned.

"Alright, alright, easy. I'm going to put you in the boat, alright?" Sawyer explained.

"Wait, wait. You'll be okay," Alex told him.

"Danny," Karl said deliriously.

"No, Sawyer," he told him.

"No Sawyer, it's Danny," Mac told him as Sawyer turned to see Pickett aiming a gun at him.

"No!" Kate screamed.

"Danny!" Mac heard Juliet yell as Pickett turns toward him and she shoots him.

"Go. Get out of here," Juliet told them.

"You heard the lady," Sawyer said.

"Let's go," Alex told them

"Not you, Alex. You're staying," Juliet told her.

"Why?" Alex questioned.

"We both know your father. The only way he'll let Karl live is if you're here when he wakes up. I'm sorry, Alex," she told the young girl.

"Hey, Alex," Karl says groggily.

"Hey," Alex greets.

"I missed you," she told him.

"I know. I missed you, too. You have to go away now; but I'll see you real soon," Alex assured him.

"I love you; I have to go sleep now," Karl says.

Mac looks at Juliet. "What you told me earlier, was it the truth?"

"No, it wasn't the truth," Juliet answered.

"How do I know that's not the lie?" Mac asked.

"You don't," she answered as Kate and Sawyer start pushing the boat toward the water. "Wait," she said holding up the walkie talkie.

"Jack, are you there?" Kate asked through the walkie talkie.

" Alright, hold that up to me. The walkie, hold it up to me," Jack told the man assisting him.

"What about the surgery?" Tom asked.

"Just do it!" Jack yells as he holds up the walkie talkie. "Yeah, I'm here, Kate. You okay?"

"Yeah, I - we've got a boat. They're letting us go," Kate answered.

"Who's letting you go?" Jack questioned.

"The blond woman," Kate answered.

"Juliet," Mac stated.

"So you're safe – you, Mac and Sawyer?

"Yes, yeah," she answered.

"Tell me," Jack told her.

"Tell you?" Kate asked.

"The first day on the beach - the day of the crash - the story that I told you. If you're safe, tell me," Jack reminded her.

Mac watched Kate, touching her shoulder nodding.

"You think this is the best time, doctor?" Tom asked.

"Shut up!" Jack yelled.

"You were doing surgery on a girl and you messed up. You made a mistake. You tore something on her back and all the nerves came loose. And you said you were so afraid. And you said the fear was so real. And you didn't know what to do, so you counted to five. And then you weren't afraid anymore. And then it was just gone. And you fixed her. You saved her," she answered crying.

"I need you to make me a promise, Kate," Jack told her.

"Jack?" Kate asked.

"Promise me that you'll never come back here for me. Don't come back, Kate," Jack repeated. "Mac don't you tell her where this is."

"Jack, where are you?

"Turn it off," Jack tells the man with him.

"Jack! Jack, please, where are you? " she begs, turning it off, handing it to Mac.


	25. Chapter 25

**SINK OR SWIM**

**Chapter 25**

"Show me the way to go home/I'm tired and I want to go to bed/I had a little drink about an hour ago/And it went straight to my head," Sawyer sung.

"Stop," Kate told him.

"What, you want a turn steering?" he asked.

"We have to go back," Kate told them.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sawyer questioned.

"Kate you heard Jack, he doesn't want us to go back," Mac told him.

"Turn the boat around, Sawyer. I mean it," she told him.

"Have you lost your mind? We just got away," Sawyer told her.

"Just do it," Kate ordered.

"Don't you do it," Mac told him.

"I love women fighting over me, and I have to pick One Armed Annie Oakley this time," Sawyer told her.

"We can't leave Jack behind!" Kate yelled.

Sawyer stopped rowing, and stared at her. "Yes we can, Freckles, because that's what he asked us to do. You think about it - if we go back there - what do you think Captain Bunny Killer's going to do if he catches us?"

"Kill you," a delirious Karl says. "God loves you as he loves Jacob."

"Okay, thanks for the input," he told the young kid. "Sorry, kiddo, Jack's on his own," Sawyer told Kate.

Mac glanced at her. "Sorry Kate," she told her.

_Mac punched the side of the humvee, shaking out her hand. _

"_Now you know it's against regulations to harm government property," Williams told her._

"_I didn't hurt the humvee," she responded._

"_I was talking about your hand," he told her, leaning against the vehicle._

"_We've been ordered to move out, to a different area," she stated._

"_And leave the two Specialists behind?" _

"_That's about the gist of it," Mac answered._

"_I know that look of concentration, Lt. What are you thinking?" he asked._

"_Disobeying a direct order," she answered honestly. "Don't give me that look, I'm not going to do it, but damn it, I hate leaving anyone behind. As long as I didn't have orders, there was a chance, a hope that I could go back."_

"_But now, we're stuck," he finished for her._

"_We're stuck," she agreed._

Never thought I'd be glad to get back to this rock again," Sawyer said.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked.

"What does it look like? I'm heading into shore," Sawyer answered.

"Why? If we just keep going we can circle round. Sooner or later we'll get to camp. We can tell Locke and Sayid what happened," Kate said.

"Kate, first of all, we're not going back there, and second of all, has it occurred to you I may want to spend some time alone with Sayid?" Mac asked.

"Guess she told you," Sawyer stated. "You got a map you ain't showing me, Magellan? We've got no food, no water, Mac's wound needs to be cleaned - and I can't steer in the dark."

"Then I'll steer," Kate told him.

"No, you'll come ashore; we'll make camp. You want to contribute - you can build a campfire while I carry the kid," he told her, while Kate just glared at her. "Glad we agree," he stated.

"I'll help gather the wood," Mac stated.

Mac taking a piece of mango from Sawyer, "Thanks," she answered, looking at Kate. "You should eat something."

"No,I ain't hungry," Kate answered.

"You shouldn't fight," Karl told them.

"When the hell did you wake up?" Sawyer asked.

"You shouldn't fight because you're lucky to be alive," Karl told them.

"Golly, I think he's got a point," Sawyer responded.

"That island we were on - is that where your people live?" Kate asked.

"Just where we work," he answered.

"Work on what?" Kate asked.

"Projects," he answered.

"Well, sure, like the steal-the-kid-off-the-raft project. That was a humdinger," Sawyer answered.

"So, you don't actually live on that island?" Kate asked.

"Nope," Karl answered.

"Do you live here on this island?" Kate asked.

"Yes, ma'am," he answered again.

"Kate that's enough!" Mac exclaimed.

"And what did you do with the people that you took - the kids?" Kate asked, ignoring Mac.

"We give them a better life," he answered.

"Better than what?" Kate asked.

"Kate! Stop it!" Mac told her.

"Better than yours, there's not going to be any moon tonight. It'll be dark. Me and Alex used to lie in my backyard at night and think up names for the constellations. You can't see it yet, but right there will be Ursa Theodorus - the Teddy Bear," Karl explained.

"You have backyards?" Sawyer asked.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Well, ain't that quaint," Sawyer responded.

"Listen!" Mac ordered, seeing Sawyer and Kate both looking at her. "Good. Kate Jack told us NOT to come back for him. And I hate leaving him behind, but that's exactly what we are going to do. No more questions to the kid," she warned.

_Mac took a breath, bending down unzipping the body bag. "Specialist Hayden Roberts," she stated out loud._

"_One of your men LT?" the other Specialist asked._

_Mac stood up, nodding. "One of the POW's," she replied._

"_Seems kinda odd to have POW's in a humanitarian aid mission, doesn't it ma'am?" he asked._

"_I've thought that to myself, several times," she answered. "I need to go tell Captain Hunter. Any personal effects bring them to my office," she instructed._

"_Yes ma'am," he responded as he walked away._

_Mac walked into her office, leaning against the door, taking a breath, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry," she voiced out loud._

Mac looked up as Sawyer walked back to the campfire after taking a walk with Karl.

"Where's Karl?" Kate asked.

"I let him go," Sawyer informed them.

"You what?" Kate exclaimed.

"I let him go," he repeated.

"He could have led us back to where they live," Kate insisted.

"I thought I told you we weren't going back?" Mac asked.

"You don't make the decisions for us," Kate answered.

Mac stood up. "I do when Jack gave me a direct order not to go back," she told her.

"What, you think I cut him loose because I'm so damn sensitive? The kid's a target! Ben ain't never going to stop looking for him so as long," Sawyer explained.

"All Ben wants is that kid as far from his daughter as possible," Kate answered.

"I'm going back to camp, my shoulder is killing me, and it's going to get infected if I don't get the bullet out soon," Mac responded, taking a torch.

"Let's get back to camp," Sawyer agreed, walking in back of her. "Well, are you coming, or not?" he asked Kate, turning.

"Should I walk beside you, or ten paces behind you? You've gotten so good at telling me what to do, I can't think for myself anymore," Kate responded.

"Don't take it out on me because you feel guilty," Sawyer responded.

"I don't feel guilty," Kate insisted.

"The hell you don't," Sawyer told her.

"We had to leave Jack behind. I didn't have a choice," Kate stated.

"I'm not talking about leaving Jack behind. I'm talking about you and me. I know you did it because you thought I was dead man. So don't beat yourself because the Doc's left behind," Sawyer told her.

Mac turned and looked at them. "This is what this is about? You slept together, and now you're feeling bad? Unbelievable! You do realize we were being videotaped the entire time we were there don't you?"

"What?" Sawyer asked.

"Yeah, and it not a stretch of the imagination that Ben let Jack know about it," she said, shaking her head. "Let's go."

After they walked a few hours Mac stopped rubbing her shoulder.

"You ok?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, just a bit sore," Mac responded.

"The bandage needs changing," Kate stated, checking her shoulder.

"Are we there yet?" Sawyer asked.

"You sound like my girls, asking if we were there after a long car trip," Mac answered.

"If we are where I think we are then our beach should be just through those trees. We'll be home in about 5 minutes," Kate answered.

"Try to contain your excitement, Freckles," Sawyer told her, looking at Mac's shoulder.

"Forgive me if I'm not excited about explaining why there are only three of us coming back, James," Kate answered.

"Maybe they should explain why they ain't come looking for us. In fact, I'd be surprised if Locke, Oww, oww, oww," he exclaimed.

"What happened?" Mac asked, putting her over shirt back on.

"I stepped on something. Son-of-a-bitch!" he exclaimed.

"Looks like a dart," Kate answered.

"How the hell did it get out here?"

"Alright, just relax your foot for a second, okay? I'm going to pull it out. On the count of 3, ready? One," she starts then pulls it out.

Mac laughs. "Yeah I used that trick on my daughters."

"Ow! I thought you said "3"?" Sawyer stated.

"Yeah, well, anticipation's the worst part. I thought I would spare you," she said sitting down, sharing a long look.

"You know, we're only about five minutes from camp, and I'd be a poor former Army officer if I couldn't find my way back from here," Mac stated.

"You sure you're ok to go back by yourself?" Sawyer asked.

"If you find me passed out on the beach, just carry me to the camp," she told them, walking off.


	26. Chapter 26

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 26**

_Mac leaned down and gave the child a chocolate bar. "Thank you for telling me how many people are in the compound," she said in a dialect of African language. She watched the child run off with the candy bar._

"_Lt. Mind telling me what you're up too?" a voice from behind her asked._

_Mac turned, and saw a few of her men behind her. "What are you doing here Sgt. Williams?" she questioned._

"_I could ask you the same thing, ma'am. You left camp drove 25 miles back to our former camp without telling anyone where you're going. Sorry, but a missing LT is easy to spot," Williams told her._

"_You're trying to get Specialist Jones back aren't you?" a private asked._

"_Dangerous thing to do, especially alone," another private added._

"_Guess we don't have orders for this, right?" Williams questioned, with a small grin on his face._

"_Go back to camp, Sgt Williams, take these men with you. I plan to do this alone, which is why I didn't tell any of you," she insisted._

"_No ma'am," he responded._

"_I just gave you a direct order," she informed them._

"_Well, considering you aren't supposed to be out here either, you can't exactly write us up for disobeying you. Sorry LT, but we're a unit, we're doing this together. I guess you have a plan?" he questioned._

Mac trekked up into camp, taking a breath, stopping right before she made it to the shore line, resting.

"Welcome home," Kate told her, joining her.

"Kate if you wait a day or two, I'll come with you," she told her.

"What changed your mind?" she asked.

"We need to get Jack back," she answered. "But you have to promise you'll wait a day or two," she begged.

"Ok," she answered. "Let's get you to Sayid," she told her, helping her.

"Kate! Mac!" Sun yelled, going to them, hugging them.

"Ow…."Mac stated.

"Where's Jack? Sawyer?" she questioned.

"Sawyer's right behind us. Jack stayed behind so we could escape," Kate explained. "We need to get this wound cleaned out," Kate told Mac.

"Mac! Kate!" Shannon exclaimed. "Mac and Kate are back!" she exclaimed, running up.

"Hey Sticks what am I, chopped liver?" Sawyer asked, coming up, hugging Sun then Shannon.

Mac smiled seeing Sayid coming up. "Kate, remember your promise," she said, excusing herself from the group. "Hey stranger," she greeted.

"Mackenzie," he greeted, kissing her, touching her face.

Kate joined them. "Sayid," she greeted.

"Kate," he acknowledged, squeezing her hand.

"Mac has a bullet in her shoulder, we need to get it removed," she informed him.

"I got it," he told Kate.

"Kate remember your promise," she repeated.

"What promise?" Sayid questioned quietly.

Mac looked at Kate, then at Sayid. "Jack told us not to come back for him, he put his life at risk so we could escape. Kate wants to go back for him, but I made her promise to wait a day or two until I can go with her."

"Why did he say "don't come back?" he questioned rubbing Mac's back.

"He sacrificed himself so we could escape. He probably didn't want it to be for nothing," Kate reasoned.

"Hurley told us they released Michael and Walt," he stated.

"Yep. They gave Michael a boat. He took off and never looked back," Kate answered.

"Did you see any other boats?" he asked.

"No, but something tells me they didn't give away their only one," she replied.

"Kate, it isn't wise for you to try to go by yourself. You need to wait," Mac stated fiercely.

"Mac's right, Kate. Wait until tomorrow, then I will go with you," he informed her.

"We'll go with you," Mac corrected.

"We'll see how you are recovering," Sayid informed her, kissing her.

"Kate, please give us your word," she reiterated.

"I already told you that I wouldn't," she answered.

"I know, but for some reason I'm getting the feeling you aren't planning on keeping your promise," she told her, looking at her, meeting her eyes.

"How do you do that?" Kate questioned.

"Do what?" Mac asked.

"Always seem to know something is a bit off," Kate responded.

Mac shrugged, grimacing a little. "Just something I have a knack for."

"Let's get that bullet out of you," Sayid insisted, starting to walk with her.

"I'll wait," Kate called after them.

_Mac put the map of the small compound in front of the men in her unit. "There's a total of seven people in the building. Two guards, one of the guards wife, and three children, then our man."_

"_Is he still alive?" a private asked._

_Mac nodded. "Affirmative," she answered. "He's injured, but I don't know what extinct."_

"_If we go in guns blazing and have civilian casualties, all our asses are going to be held to the fire," the same private that spoke earlier stated._

_Mac nodded. "One of the reasons I didn't share this plan with any of you, because if it goes bad I wanted the rest of you to have plausible deniability."_

"_Well, we know about it now, and we're all in it together. We'll just have to make sure nothing goes wrong," Sgt Williams replied._

Sayid helped Mac take off her shirt, kissing her good shoulder. "Lie down on your stomach," he instructed. "I'm sorry that I let you down."

Mac did as she was instructed. "It wasn't your fault. The woman that was shot, Colleen, she died. Jack couldn't save her," Mac told him. "I was just glad that you weren't hurt."

He removed the bullet, cleaning the wound, stitching it up. "I am afraid it won't be as pretty as Jack's stitching," he told her. "Eko died a couple days ago," he told her.

"What? How?" Mac questioned, taking a breath.

"There was an explosion in the hatch, he was injured, but we thought he was recovering. We found him in the jungle, near death. We buried him away from camp, I'll take you there when you're better," he replied, finishing.

"Why wasn't he brought back here?" she questioned, sitting up, tears in her eyes.

"John thought that there had been too many funerals lately," he told her, kissing her. "I'm sorry," he told her wiping the tears away in her eyes.

"It's not your fault," she answered, kissing him. "I need to tell you something."

Sayid touched her face. "You know you can tell me anything."

"You may not say that after I tell you," Mac informed him.

"Nothing will ever change my mind about how I feel about you. What did they do?" Sayid questioned, kissing her lips softly.

"Juliet told me that my unit was responsible for making you a torturer," she informed him, turning away. "I didn't know, until it was over….the CIA agent took it upon himself…." She said in between tears.

"Look at me," Sayid ordered.

Mac raised her head to him. "She asked me if I could look into your eyes and have you trust me again. I'm sorry…"

Sayid took her face in both of his hands and kissed her. "Mackenzie, if I did not have it in me, I would not have been so easily convinced. You asked me the night that I took you on the picnic if I could blame you for anything that happened during the war. I said no, remember?"

"Yes," she answered quietly.

"I still stand by that answer," he told her, kissing her again. "I know that if you had known, you wouldn't have let it happen. You can look into these eyes and know that I still love you and that I trust you with my life," Sayid stated.

"I do," Mac answered, kissing him. "I love you," she told him.

"I love you too," he told her. "We need to get a bandage on that shoulder and a sling," he instructed. "You're not going to like what I'm going to have to say."

"Then don't say it," she informed him.

Sayid laughed kissing her. "I don't think you should go with Kate to try to get Jack back," he told her.

"You're right, I don't like it," she stated. "May I ask why?" she questioned.

"I just took a bullet out of your shoulder, and your wrist is bandaged on the same side, the side that is your prominent shooting hand," he reminded her.

"So, I just got back and you're going to go off?" she asked.

"If you had an injured soldier in your unit would you let him or her go in injured?" he asked.

Mac looked at him. "No, of course not," she answered.

"I'll get Jack back, and I'll keep Kate safe, but I can't do that if I have to worry about you," he told her kissing her and laying her down. "But I'm not going anywhere tonight," he told her, kissing her again.


	27. Chapter 27

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 27**

Mac watched Sayid leave with Kate and Locke early the next day. She let them get out of her sight before going up to Claire's tent. "Good morning!"

"Oh my God, Mac!" Claire exclaimed getting up, hugging her. "I heard you were back, but I didn't want to bother you and Sayid last night. I was dying to see you though!" she stated, seeing her arm in a sling. "What happened?"

"Let's see, I fractured my wrist, and then got shot trying to escape. Don't worry it's nothing major," she explained, smiling down at Aaron. "Hello, little man! I missed you too."

"Sayid told you about Mr. Eko?" she questioned.

Mac nodded, touching Aaron's face. "I'm going to go up to where they buried him later," she explained.

"Is Sayid going with you?" Claire asked.

Mac shook her head. "Sayid went with Locke and Kate to rescue Jack. I was sidelined," she stated.

"I'll go with you," Claire offered.

Mac shook her head. "It's not necessary, but thanks. I just can't believe there gone," she answered, shaking her head.

Claire hugged the other woman. "You all went through so much together," she stated. "What you said at Libby and Ana Lucia's funeral, it was nice. I think they would have liked it."

"Thanks Claire," she responded, leaving.

_Mac packed her duffle bag, coming out of the bedroom. "The rent's paid for six months, you're welcome to stay Jordan."_

"_So this is it? You're just going to pack up and leave with absolutely no plan whatsoever? You don't do things like this. I do things like this, Mom did things like this, but you don't," Jordan told her._

_Mac sighed, putting down her duffle bag. "Jordan, since I was 14, I've been responsible for someone. First it was you and Taylor, and then it was the men and women in my units, then the girls. Everyone I was responsible for keeping safe, something happened to, even you. I pushed you away, and you wound up using drugs."_

"_Mac you can't blame yourself for my drug use!" Jordan exclaimed._

"_But I do," Mac informed her. "One of the reasons that I didn't want to go through with a trial for Robert was that I needed to be able to leave and figure out what's next."_

"_What is next?" she asked quietly._

_Mac touched Jordan's face. "I don't know, Jordan. I need to figure out who I am," she stated. "I just plan to travel, maybe do some volunteer work. Sophia always planned to join the Peace Corps so maybe I'll do something like that."_

Mac took her back pack off, crossing herself, sitting down on the ground. Mac touched the cross, taking a breath.

"Eko, I'm sorry that I wasn't here, maybe I could have done something to help you or maybe Jack could have. I'm glad that you're with Ana and Libby, though, they need you to be with them more than I do. When we crashed, I thought God had a weird sense of humor, putting me on a plane with priest then having it crash, and both of us surviving. That's a slap in the face to a way ward Catholic isn't it?" she asked honestly. "I never told you but your strength, it helped, in a weird way. I don't know if I can find the right words to describe it, but I think you know what I mean," she stated lightly, unzipping her bag. "Sayid told me that you found the plane that your brother's body was in on the island, the one with the heroin. Now that's another big coincidence, isn't it? But I'm starting to believe there is more to all of this than coincidence," she stated. "For two years, I was just aimlessly traveling, one place to another, not letting myself get close to anyone because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to protect them. You, Libby and Ana didn't need me to protect you, we needed each other, and we helped each other. Thank you," she stated, turning her head quickly, hearing a noise, grabbing her gun, pointing it.

"Easy GI Jane, it's just me," Sawyer told her, coming out of the woods.

"What the hell are you doing here Sawyer?" she asked, putting away the gun.

"I saw you sneaking out of camp, not telling anyone where you were heading, and I had this insane thought that it probably wouldn't be a good idea for you to head out here alone," he stated, sitting down beside her.

"Claire knew where I was going," she pointed out. "So you decided to follow me?"

"Considering we just got away from the Others, yeah, I decided to follow you. But I gave you space when I saw what you were doing," he pointed out.

"Well, how chivalrous of you," she stated dryly. "You worried about Kate?"

"Now why would I be worried about Kate?" he asked flippantly. "Just because she decided to go back for Jack after Jack told us not to, nothing to worry about at all."

Mac playfully hit his shoulder. "Jealous?"

"I am not!" he protested quickly.

Mac laughed. "Right, what's that?" she asked nodding to the object in Sawyer's hand.

"It's a ping pong ball," he informed her.

"And why do you have that ping pong ball?" she asked.

"The gang ransacked my things while we were being held hostage, they have a ping pong table, and I have the ball. They challenged me to a game, when I win I get my stuff back," Sawyer boasted.

"And if you lose?" she questioned.

"I can't call anyone nicknames for a week, but I'm not going to lose," Sawyer told her.

"Oh, I've got to see this, if there's a chance that you have to refrain from calling me GI Jane, Drill Sgt or anything else you can come up with, I'm witnessing it," she informed him, standing up, getting dizzy. "Woah…"

Sawyer immediately stood up grabbing her arm. "You ok GI Jane?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I over exerted myself this morning coming for this hike," she stated.

"Not to mention overexerting yourself last night," he teased.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that," she informed him.

_Mac pushed her sunglasses on her head, taking a picture of the tea house in Korea._

"_I always believe that the beauty of things we see everyday are lost on us and can only be regained if we leave and come back," a man informed her in English._

_Mac turned and looked at him. "I take it that you left and now have returned?" she asked in Korean._

"_Forgive me for assuming you did not know Korean, you speak it well," the man informed her._

"_I spent three years here before," she explained. "I wanted to return when I was not working. Mac Grayson," she greeted._

"_Jae Lee," he introduced. "Perhaps I can show you around?"_

_Mac shook her head. "No thank you Mr. Lee, I am doing some soul searching and I want to do it alone," she stated. "But thank you for your offer," she told him, before walking away._

"So, you really the number one draft pick, Grimace?" Sawyer asked Hurley.

"Yep. Are we playing with the mercy rule?" Hurley asked.

"Mercy rule?" Sawyer asked.

"Yeah, if I am like up 11-0 I, you know, automatically win," Hurley informs him.

"You're going to go up 11-0," Sawyer told him.

"Don't be too confident there Sawyer, he may surprise you," Mac told him.

"Well, any one of us," Hurley amended.

"Sure, we can have a mercy rule," Sawyer told him.

"Wanna volley for serve?" Hurley asked his opponent.

"Tell you what, you can be my guest," he answered as the crowd cheered.

"Take him down, Hurley!" Charlie yelled.

"Zero Zero serving," Hurley informed them as he easily gets a point on them, the crowd cheering.

"Yes!" Charlie exclaimed.

"One Nothing," Hurley said.

Mac shook her head, as Hurley continued beating him. "I think that's the mercy rule, Sawyer." She shook her head patting him on his shoulder. "Remember it's Mac," she told him shaking her head.

The next day:

Mac sat with Sun on the beach, playing with Aaron. "You're good with him," Sun informed her.

"Thanks," she stated. "Have you ever thought about having kids?"

"We tried, but it didn't work out. I know your daughters were murdered, I'm sorry," Sun stated.

Mac nodded. "Thanks, but I really hate people telling me they're sorry, I don't know, after a while it got to me. So I just stopped telling people I had children."

"But you talk about them now," Sun pointed out.

Mac nodded. "It's a lot easier now," she responded.

"Have you thought about having another child?" Sun asked.

Mac shook her head. "Actually I was on the way to a fertility clinic in Los Angeles, when we crashed."

"Sun, Jin!" Claire yelled, running up.

"Claire! What's the matter?" Sun questioned.

"I need Jin's nets and fish. We gotta hurry, and buckets I'm gonna need those too," she insisted.

Jin looked up saying something in Korean. "Claire, what's going on?" Mac questioned, picking Aaron up with her good arm.

"We have to catch the birds," she insisted.

"What birds?" Sun questioned.

"They just flew over and they're only gonna be here today, so if we're gonna catch one, we need to do it now," she insisted.

"Oh, this sounds like fun," Sawyer stated, coming up.

"Can you get some nets?" Claire asked again.

"Nets for what, Barb—," he stopped seeing Sun and Mac both looking at him.

"Nets for what, _Claire_?" he quickly corrected himself.

"Okay, five minutes ago, a flock of seabirds flew over my head. Seabirds are migratory which means they're going to keep heading south," Claire told them.

"I'm sorry; I don't understand why we need to—" Mac stated.

"They're tagged!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Tagged?" Jin asked.

"Scientists tag these birds so they can track them. So, when they eventually land in Australia or New Zealand or wherever, somebody's gonna gather them up," she explained.

"We can send a message!" Sun told them.

Mac looked over her shoulder as Charlie and Desmond walked up.

"If we can catch one. Okay, so here's the plan. First we gotta cut up these fish, make chum, that'll get the birds to settle in the water. And then, umm, we're gonna need to cut up some of this net. Charlie, can you go get some knives?" she asked, noticing he didn't respond. "Umm, Charlie?" she asked again.

Mac looked at Charlie. "Earth to Charlie," she stated, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

"Yeah, err, how do you even know this stuff about birds, Claire?" he asked.

"I, umm, I watched a lot of nature shows with my mum," she explained.

"That doesn't exactly make you an expert. I just... I don't want to see you wasting your time, that's all," he told her.

"So what happened to seizing the day?" Claire asked.

"Sorry, I don't see the point," he said, walking away.

Mac and Claire looked at Desmond, both getting curious. "I'll go talk with Charlie, Claire," she told her, handing Aaron to Sun.

_Mac watched the children run out of the school house as she ended the day of school in West Africa._

"_They are doing well?" a young mother asked._

_Mac nodded. "They are doing amazing," she answered._

"_You are good with them, you should consider having a child of your own," the woman commented._

_Mac's face went dark for a second before quickly recovering. "It just isn't in the cards for me," she answered. "I wouldn't be able to volunteer if I had children," she added._

"_Perhaps one day," the woman told her._

"_Perhaps," she answered, picking up small chalk boards._

"_You do not sound so convinced," the other woman stated, helping her._

_Mac forced a smile. "I just have decided that I am going to be alone for life, that I have absolutely no luck when it comes to love or relationships."_

_The other woman came and took her hand, looking at the lines. "You are lying to yourself and to me, Miss. Mac. You have had a lot of people who have hurt you in your life, and you have suffered a great loss. You are running from the pain, trying to forget," she told her, as Mac tried to pull away her hand. "Where one line ends, another one begins. You will find love, a love like one you have never felt before, it will happen quick and in the most unexpected place and under the most unexpected circumstances," she informed Mac._

_Mac pulled away her hand. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe that you or anyone can tell the future," she stated walking away._

Mac sat down next to Charlie. "What's going on Charlie?"

"Nothing," he answered.

"Nothing? Then why are you refusing to help Claire?"

"Why do you care?" Charlie questioned.

"Because we're all in this together Charlie. You should want to get rescued just like all of us, and you should want to do anything to help. So tell me why Charlie that you wouldn't want to do everything you can to help Claire?" she questioned.

Charlie sighed. "Do you believe in psychic ability?"

Mac looked at him. "I never used to, but now, I'm not to sure. Why do you ask?"

"Desmond said that he's seen me die, and no matter what he does, he can't stop it," he explained.

Mac looked out to the ocean. "About six months before the crash, I had a woman grab my hands and read my life lines. Do you know what she told me?" she questioned.

"No," he answered.

"She told me that I would find love in the most unexpected place, under the most unusual circumstances. I didn't believe her, but now, well, I have to admit she was right. I'm not saying that Desmond is right or wrong, and God I hope it's wrong, but if he is, don't you want to do everything you can to make sure you live to your fullest?" she asked, standing up. "I have faith you'll do the right thing Charlie," she told him walking away.


	28. Chapter 28

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 28**

Mac put her gun in her waist band, removed the sling from her arm, put her leather jacket on, and put her back pack on her back, before walking out of camp. "Desmond," she greeted.

"Going to look for them?" he asked.

"It's been six days," she answered. "I can't just wait anymore," she informed him. "Something's wrong, I know it."

"I don't doubt you do, but do you really think it's safe for you to go out there alone?" he asked.

"No, but there isn't much choice is there? I'd ask you but well, you have your hands full with Charlie. He told me, about what you've been seeing," she explained.

"Be careful sister," he told her.

"I plan on it," she stated, leaving.

_Mac sighed, walking into the hospital in Los Angeles, going into the room she was given._

_Jordan looked up. "She's still sleeping," she responded, hugging Mac. "So how's my globetrotting gallivanting sister?"_

_Mac pulled on Jordan's elbow, pulling her out of the room. "Why am I here? Why are you here?"_

"_Mom is sick, she needs a liver transplant," Jordan explained. "I'm not a match, and well, I was hoping that maybe you would be."_

_Mac looked at her. "I think my hearing must be going, Jordan because I know that you didn't just say that you hoped I would be a match for her. That would imply you hope that I would give part of my live up for that woman," she told her._

"_She's our mother," Jordan pointed out._

"_You say that like it should mean something to me, Jordan. She gave birth to us, and that was where she thought her obligations ended. How did she find you?" Mac asked. "Because that's what our mother is good for, finding us when she needs something and completely disappearing when we do."_

"_She showed up at the apartment in Washington," she admitted._

"_Then she gave you this sob story about being sick and needing help right?" Mac asked, letting out a deep breath._

"_Yes, but she is sick," Jordan pointed out._

_Mac shook her head. "She's sick because she can't keep a bottle out of her hand."_

"_I remember you were hitting the bottle pretty heavily when you left," Jordan told her._

"_I admit it, Jordan. I was drinking heavily, I had a few things going on if you remember," she told her. "You can do what you want, but don't bring me into it," she told her, walking away._

Mac took a drink of water hearing something, pulling out her gun walking toward the sound. "Kate? Juliet?" Mac asked, holding the gun at them.

"Didn't expect to see you here," Kate stated.

"What happened? Why are you handcuffed together? Where are Jack, John and Sayid?" Mac asked.

"Funny you ask about Sayid last," Juliet stated. "You would think he'd be the first you'd ask about."

"Shut up," both Kate and Mac told her.

"John left with them, he came to say goodbye. We were gassed, brought out here; they obviously left her behind too.I'm pretty sure Jack and Sayid are back at their camp, we should head back there," Kate informed them, pulling on the handcuffs to pull Juliet forward, while Juliet pulled on the cuff to keep Kate where she is.

"Oh this could get interesting," Mac stated.

"It's going to rain. Don't you think we should wait 'til morning?" Juliet asks.

"No," Kate answers. "Are you coming?" Kate asks Mac.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Mac assured Kate, as Kate pulled on the cuff to make Juliet follow her.

"Why?" Kate questioned.

"Why what?" Juliet asks.

"Why would they handcuff you to me and then drag us all the way out into the jungle?" Kate asks.

"Ben has a thing for mind games," she responded.

"If I remember correctly, so do you," Mac reminded her.

"That why he left you behind?" Kate asked.

"Do we really have to talk?" Juliet asked.

"Nope," Kate answered, as thunder and rain appears.

"I'll go ahead, pick up the trail before it gets to wet," Mac stated, walking ahead.

"I hope you're not dragging me all the back there with you for him," Juliet told Kate.

"Excuse me?" Kate explained.

"I hope you're not going back, for Jack, because I was standing right there, when he told you not to come back. And now that you've ruined his chance to get off the Island -" Juliet informed her.

Mac turns to see Kate punch Juliet in the face, then the two fighting on the ground.

"You done? I SAID ARE YOU DONE?" Kate yelled at her, Mac hearing a crack as Juliet screams. "I... I'm sorry, I, I didn't mean to..."

Mac heard noises. "The whispers," she told them.

"Get up," Kate yelled.

"You dislocated my shoulder!" Juliet informed her.

"Hurry up!" Mac told them.

"GET, UP!" Kate yelled again.

Juliet pulled herself up, and the two ran for cover. Kate noticed some vines and clump of trees.

"Quick, in here! Come on. Get in. Come on, get down, get down," she told Juliet as Mac squeezes in.

"What the hell?" Juliet questioned.

"Shh... up," Kate advised.

The sounds of the Monster screech right outside the trees where they are hiding. As it nears, blinding lights shine sharply on both of them. Juliet covered her eyes in shock.

Mac took a breath looking at Kate.

"Are we safe?" Juliet asked.

"You tell us," Mac answered.

"Do you think it's gone? Are we safe?" Juliet asked again.

"Are you serious? You've never seen that?" Kate questioned.

"Oh if you don't believe me, you can always pull my other shoulder out of its socket," Juliet told her sarcastically.

"I was, I wasn't trying to..." Kate told her.

"Don't flatter yourself. This is the fourth time it's been dislocated," Juliet informed them.

Mac looked at Juliet. "Give me your arm."

"What?" Kate asked.

"She needs it popped back in place. She's not going to be able to be much use if we don't, and the two of you are handcuffed together," she pointed out.

Juliet gave Mac her arm, screaming as she pushes on her arm pulling up.

Juliet took a breath standing up. "Thanks."

"Let's go," Mac told them.

"To answer your question from before, Jack told me not to come back to protect me, because he didn't want me to get hurt," Kate told Juliet as they walked.

"Is that what you think?" Juliet asked Kate

"Yeah that's what I think," Kate answered.

"We have cameras on the cages, Kate, all of them. He saw you, you and Sawyer. The reason Jack told you not to come back, wasn't because he didn't want you to get hurt, it was because you broke his heart," Juliet told her.

"You were right," Kate told Mac, taking a breath.

"Of course Mac would notice the cameras, she's trained," Juliet told them.

"Shut up," both of them told her again.

_Mac took a breath, watching the doctor leave her mother's room, watching him come down the hall way. "Excuse me, I just saw you come out of room 3451. Are you that patient's primary?"_

"_I'm sorry I can't discuss anything about a patient to anyone but immediate family," the doctor told her._

"_I'm Mackenzie Grayson," she told him pulling out her Army Identification. "I'm her other daughter."_

"_Your sister said that you couldn't make it," the doctor informed her._

"_I was in Africa, volunteering. What can you tell me about my mother's condition?" she questioned._

"_You're mothers liver is failing, and because of heavy alcohol consumption in her life, she isn't exactly the perfect candidate for a transplant," the doctor explained._

"_Which means what?" Mac questioned._

"_That without a transplant that she doesn't have much time left," he answered._

"_My sister isn't a match?" she questioned._

"_No," the doctor answered. _

"_I know my mother, if she gets this transplant; she isn't going to stop drinking," she informed the doctor._

"_That is up to her, I'm afraid," the doctor told her._

Mac took a sip of water, walking ahead of Kate and Juliet.

"Did he say that to you?" Kate questioned.

"Sorry?" Juliet asked.

"That I broke his heart," Kate responded.

"He didn't have to," Juliet told her.

"You don't know anything about him," Kate told her.

"I know where he was born. I know what his parents did for a living. I know that he was married, and who he was married to. I know why he got a divorce. I know how his father died. I know his height, his weight, his birthday, and his blood type. What do you know about him, Kate?" Juliet asked.

"Ben must have taught you how to play the mind game well," Mac hissed at Juliet. "Let's go," she informed them. "Do you hear it?" she asked as the Monster could be heard again.

"Run, run, run," Kate told them, as Juliet tripped, and the two cuffed women landed in a mud puddle. "Get up, run, run, come on."

Mac saw the sonic barrier. "Stop, Mac," she warned. "We can't go through there."

"Wait, what are you doing?"

"I know what happens when you step through those things..." Kate told her.

"They're off. Kate! We can," Juliet starts to explain.

"We'll go alongside," Kate informed them.

"We don't need to, we can go," Juliet told her again.

"Go around..." Kate repeated, as Mac started to go around.

"I should have asked Sawyer to come around, he would have enjoyed this much more then I am," Mac mumbled to herself.

"They're off... dam it," Juliet exclaimed, grabbing a key from her pocket, undoing the cuffs, and runs to the other side of the fence accessing a control panel.

Mac ran to Kate helping her off the ground after she fell.

"You're gonna wanna be over here," Juliet informed them.

Kate hesitates. "Come on Kate," Mac told her.

Kate ran through the barrier covering her head. Once through, Juliet turned the switch, causing the fences to buzz. The Monster then headed straight towards Juliet, but it was completely blocked by the sonic fence, which acted like a force field. The Monster quickly gave up and flew away. Kate walked over to Juliet and pushed her.

"Alright, we don't know what it is, but we know it doesn't like our fences..." Juliet explained.

"I don't think this is about the fence," Mac pointed out.

"You had a key!" Kate told her.

"They left me behind too, they gassed me! I know that you don't care, but the people I spent the last three years of my life with, they just left me! I thought that maybe, maybe if I could make you think that we were in it together. Maybe I wouldn't get left behind again," Juliet explained, as Kate grabbed the key from her hand, walking ahead of her.

"You sure know how make an impression on a person don't you?" Mac asked, taking a drink of water walking with her.

Mac, Kate, and Juliet stopped at buildings after a few more hours of walking.

"Sayid's in one of those backyards down there. I'll go get him. You should get Jack," Juliet tells Kate.

"_I'll_ get Sayid," Mac informed them walking away.

_Mac walked into the doctor's office a few weeks after arriving in Los Angeles. "I got your message," she told him sitting down._

"_You're a match to be a donor for your mother's transplant," he informed her. _

"_Everything came back in perfect order. I don't understand why you told me not to tell your sister or mother that you are still in town or even having the tests done. We can schedule the procedure anytime, the sooner the better," he told her._

"_I never said that I would be her donor if I was a match," Mac pointed out._

_The doctor looked at her. "Miss. Grayson why would you even hesitate doing this, she is your mother, your family."_

_Mac smiled, shaking her head. "Let me tell you something about the woman you're trying to save. She walked out on me when I was 14, leaving me to raise my two sisters. She came back now and then, usually when she needed something. The last time I saw her was in a lawyer's office trying to con her way into my two daughters' life insurance policy after they were murdered. So, please forgive me if I'm not eager to give up part of my body to save her. I'll let you know," she said standing up leaving._

Mac bent down beside Sayid. "Sayid, wake up!" she told him kissing him softly.

"Mac?" he asked dazed, sitting up. "What are you doing here? What happened?" he asked.

"Apparently you, Jack, Kate and Juliette were gassed and left behind. Locke went with them," she explained kissing him. "I was coming to look for you, and I happened to run into Kate and Juliette, they were dragged into the jungle after they were gassed."

"You shouldn't have risked coming," Sayid told her, running his hand through her hair, kissing her, standing up. "Let's do a sweep of the houses," he told her.


	29. Chapter 29

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 29**

Mac walked out of one of the buildings, stepping off the porch. "Anything?" Mac asked Sayid as he stepped out of another building.

"No, not a thing," he answered.

"I feel like I'm in a middle of a ghost town," Mac responded, turning seeing Jack coming out of one of the buildings. "Jack!" Mac exclaimed, running and hugging him.

"Mac, what are you doing here?" Jack asked.

"I came looking for you guys," she explained.

"Jack," Sayid greeted.

"Sayid," he returned the greeting.

"Mac and I have checked all the houses. Everyone's gone, no weapons, no trail…. it's like 50 people disappeared into thin air," Sayid answered.

"We should take what we can find and head out while we still got light," Jack ordered as he and Juliet walked away.

"She is not coming with us," Sayid told Jack.

"Yes, she is," Jack answered.

"Why?" Sayid asked.

"Because they left her behind too," Jack answered as he and Juliet walked off.

Mac exchanged glances with Sayid and Kate. "I'll fill up the water bottles with tap water before we go," Mac answered, taking everyone's bottles.

_Mac took a breath walking into the hospital room. "Hello mom, Jordan," she greeted._

_Jordan looked up. "Mac, you came back," she stated, getting up hugging her sister._

"_I never left," she explained._

"_Jordan said you had," her mother stated, from the bed._

_Mac stood at the foot of the bed. "I had the testing done to see if I was a match, and I am."_

"_So, the doctor will be in to schedule the surgery soon?" Abigail asked._

"_No," Mac answered._

"_No? But you just said…." Jordan started to respond._

"_I said I was a match, but not that I was going to donate part of my liver to her," she informed them. "I've been sitting at my hotel for three days, drinking, and thinking about how unfair life is. Some people are never meant to be parents', like you mom. You gave birth to three daughters, and you left everything to dad, until he walked out and left. You didn't even care enough to stop drinking when you were pregnant with Taylor," she informed her. "This time you're going to listen to what I have to say because you can't run away from the truth. I was a damn good mother to my girls, and when I left it was on duty. I called every chance I got, and they knew I loved them. But, that wasn't enough - I still failed them, because I wasn't there to protect them from their father, another person never meant to be a parent. I don't have my daughters, but you have two of us here, alive. I can't, in good conscious, give you part of my liver, to keep you alive. As long as you're still alive, you're going to have a hold on Jordan, and she doesn't need it," Mac explained._

"_Why did you go through the tests, Mac?" Jordan asked._

"_Because I needed to know whether I held her life in my hands," she stated. "I'm sorry Jordan, but I can't do it," she stated, turning to leave._

"_You think you're so special, Mackenzie? You're sentencing me to die, your own mother. Jordan and I are the only family you have, you can't count on anyone else!" her mother yelled from the bed._

_Mac turned around and laughed. _

_"Well mom, I never could count on you anyway, so you being dead isn't going to be much of a change now is it?" she asked. "I don't believe that blood is the only thing that makes you family, mom." she told her walking out._

Mac took a drink of water, catching up to Jack as they were walking across the beach. "So Jack, you want to tell me what you're going to tell the rest of the camp when we get back about why she's with us?"

"She got left behind, simple as that," Jack explained.

"It's not that simple, Jack, and you know it," Mac told him. "If you can't convince Kate, Sayid and me, how are you going to convince forty other people?"

"There's nothing to convince anyone, Mac. I wouldn't bring her with us if I thought she was a danger to anyone," he told her.

"What if she's a plant Jack? Just like Goodwin was, or Ethan? You have to think about that, for everyone's safety." she informed him, taking another drink of water.

"I have," he told her, looking at her with concern. "You ok?"

"Yeah, fine," she stated, as Sayid walked up.

"It's getting late. This is a good place to make camp," he pointed out.

"I'll get some firewood," Jack offered.

"I'll go with you," Kate responded.

Mac took a breath looking over at Juliet. "I guess we're left babysitting," she told Sayid.

Sayid nodded. "You ok? I noticed you were drinking a lot of water," he stated kissing her.

"Yeah, just overly thirsty," she answered. "Jack asked me the same thing," she informed him going over to the creek further down from where Juliet was.

Sayid bent down beside her, watching Juliet.

Juliet turned her head to look at the two of them staring at her. "OK, let's have it," she stated.

"I want to know what you people are doing on this Island. Why you're terrorizing us. Making lists. Kidnapping children. I want to know everything. But the first thing I'd like to know is, who are you?" Sayid asked.

Mac filled up her water bottle, noticing that Juliet wasn't speaking.

"Who are you?" Sayid repeated.

"If I told you who I was. If I told you everything that I know. You'd kill me," she replied. "Of course, that is, if Mac will let you. She did prevent you from killing Ben."

Mac shook her head, standing. "I only make a mistake once, Juliet," she told her, taking out her gun and handing it to Sayid. "Go for it," she said walking away.

"Leave her alone," Jack told Sayid as they bring back the firewood.

"Sooner or later she'll answer my questions," Sayid responded.

"She'll answer your questions when she's ready. And you'll wait until she is. She's under my protection," Jack told them.

Sayid looked at Mac, both sharing a glance. Kate looked stunned.

_Jordan ran out of the hospital, grabbing Mac's arm. "Mac why are you doing this? You aren't so cold hearted."_

_Mac looked at her. "Jordan I know what it's like to want to believe she'll change, I've been there, but she never does."_

"_You just have to give her a chance! She's ready to change," Jordan assured her._

_Mac sighed. "Jordan I gave her chances. When I came back from Iraq, she came to visit me, late at night. You and Taylor were asleep, she told me not to bother you. She apologized profusely for not being there for us, that the thought of one of her daughter's dying put some sense in her. I believed her, Jordan. I gave her my bed, told her she could stay as long as she wanted. The next morning, she was gone, as well as my bank card and the cash I had," she informed her. "I wanted to save you and Taylor from the truth, so I never told you that she had slithered back into my life," she stated sadly. "This is more than three thousand dollars in a bank account, this is part of my body we're talking about. The only good thing that came out of all of this, is that I realize I'm going down the same path as our mother by drinking. I'm done Jordan, I can't be sucked in again. Do yourself a favor, walk away now. Save yourself the heartache," she begged._

_Jordan looked at her. "Mac…."_

_Mac nodded. "I know, you still holding out hope. You know what's funny? Somewhere in LA, is the child who got one of Sofia's organs. I don't want to be in this city anymore," she told her, kissing her cheek. "Be safe."_

Mac stood with the rest of camp upon their return, Juliet standing a few yards back.

"Trust her? She's one of them," Sun stated.

"Not anymore. They left her behind," Jack responded.

"I've tried to point out to Jack that she might be a plant," Mac responded, Sayid's arm around her.

"Oh yeah, where'd they go?" Charlie asked.

"I told you, I dunno," Jack answered.

"Well maybe we better ask her," Sawyer pointed out.

"She doesn't know either," Jack responded.

"Well here's a wacky idea. Let's stick our resident Iraqi on her. Let him do what he does, then see what she says," Sawyer suggested.

"No, I don't do that anymore," Sayid answered.

"Well ain't that convenient," Sawyer responded sarcastically.

"Sawyer, behave," Mac warned.

"But I don't trust her, Jack. If she's so innocent, why won't she answer my questions?" Sayid asked.

Mac noticed Claire arriving and Charlie going to her.

"Just give her some time, she's afraid," Jack instructed.

"How much time?" Sayid asked.

"Look the fact that I trust her should be enough," Jack stated.

"It's not," Mac answered.

"Where did Locke go?" Desmond asked.

"He went with them. Right after he destroyed the sub, the sub that was gonna take me off this Island," Jack informed them.

"What?" Hurley asked.

"They were gonna let you go?" Sawyer asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Jack simply answered.

"Said who?" he asked.

"Ben," Jack responded.

"Ben, whose life you saved," Sawyer pointed out.

"Sawyer, lay off," Kate warned.

"You should have let that bug-eyed bastard die," Sawyer told him.

"I agree," Mac stated.

"He did it for us," Kate stated.

"Sounds like he did it for him," Sawyer responded.

"James," Kate warned.

"Something you wanna ask me, Sawyer?" Jack questioned Sawyer.

"Yeah Jack I wanna ask you why you're fighting every one of us and sticking up for one of them," Sawyer responded.

"Look I spent every moment over there trying to find a way off this Island—" Jack started to explain, being interrupted by Charlie.

"Claire?" Charlie asked.

"—I was trying to help all of us. I was trying to get us rescued," Jack continued.

"Claire ... Jack! There's something wrong with Claire!" Charlie said, as Jack and Mac went over to Claire, seeing the blood covering her hands.

"Claire, sweetie?" Mac asked.

"Put her head back, put her head back. Let's get her up. How long's she been like this?" Jack questioned.

"Er, she started feeling bad this morning," Charlie responded.

"Before we got back, was she showing any symptoms at all?" Jack asked.

"No she was fine," Charlie responded.

"What about water, has she been drinking enough water?" Jack asked, Mac glancing over at Juliet.

"I think so, yeah," Charlie responded.

Mac motioned for Charlie to take over holding Claire's head, as Mac excused herself.

"What happened to her?" Juliet asked Sun, Mac hearing Jin spoke in Korean.

"He said, what do you care?" Sun questioned.

Mac followed Juliet as she walked over to Kate.

"Juliet, hold on," Mac called after her.

Juliet ignored her, calling after Kate. "Kate! I need your help. I need you to go and get Jack."

"Look, he's busy right now," Kate told her, turning around to face her.

"Please I have to talk to him," Juliet begged.

"You want to tell us why you need Jack?" Mac questioned, joining Kate.

"Because I think I know what's wrong with Claire," she answered.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I did it to her," Juliet answered.


	30. Chapter 30

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 30**

Mac glanced from Juliet to Kate. "Go get Jack," she instructed Kate, watching as Kate went and got Jack. Mac glanced backward giving Sayid a glance. "You better tell us everything," she warned Juliet.

"What's going on?" Jack asked, joining them.

"Claire's immune system is turning on her. She's having a latent reaction to a medication in her bloodstream," she explained.

"What medication?" Jack demanded to know.

"It was designed to keep her alive during the late stages of her pregnancy," Juliet explained letting out a sigh.

"Designed by who?" he asked.

"By me. For some reason, the women here can't have babies. The mother's body turns on the pregnancy, treats it as a foreign invader. I saw it happen over and over. Every pregnant woman on this Island died," Juliet explained. "That is, every pregnant woman until Claire."

"What did you do to her?" Jack asked.

"One of our people infiltrated your camp, and began taking blood samples, right after your plane crashed," she explained.

"Ethan," Kate added, looking at Sun.

"Even though Claire didn't conceive on this Island, we found that her symptoms were consistent with previous mothers so we tried to save her life," she explained.

"By kidnapping her?" Jack exploded.

"No! That wasn't supposed to happen. She was our control case. I had developed a serum that I thought would reverse what was happening to her, Ethan was administering the injections. But then, you found out that he wasn't on the plane," Juliet explained. "So he improvised," she added.

"But she was still kidnapped by your people," Mac pointed out.

"He kidnapped her, on his own. That was never the plan. Look, I know how this sounds, but without those injections, Claire would have died. Now, without the serum, she's going into a form of withdrawal, and if I don't treat her quickly, her immune system could shut down entirely. Jack! I can fix this. I just need the serum. Ethan kept a stash of medical supplies near the caves where you used to live. If I go right now I can be back before its too late," she begged.

"Wait, you did this to her now you want us to trust you?" Mac questioned.

"If you care about Claire, you'll let me do this! I don't want to see her die! Come with me if you don't trust me," she informed Mac.

"Do it. Get moving," Jack ordered. "Mac go with her," he told her.

"I was planning on it," she answered, casting a glance back at Sayid.

_Mac walked into her hotel room in Australia, taking her phone out of her pocket, checking her voice mail._

"_Miss Grayson this is Pacific Fertility Clinic in Los Angeles California. Dr. Williamson has reviewed your history and would love to talk to you about starting treatments. Please come in at the earliest opportunity to start paperwork and blood work, thank you," the receptionist told her ending the phone call._

_Mac took a breath calling the airline._

"_Oceanic airline how may I help you?" the friendly voice answered._

"_My name is Mackenzie Grayson, I have a reservation for 1__st__ of October for Miami Florida. I need to change that to the earliest flight to Los Angeles," Mac explained, pulling out her duffle bag starting to pack._

"_Flight 815 leaving at 215 tomorrow afternoon, bound for Los Angeles. It will be a two hundred dollar fee to change the flight," the woman informed her._

"_Use the credit card on file," Mac instructed, hanging up._

Mac walked with Juliet to the caves. "If you think that I buy that it's a coincidence that Claire happens to need you right at the precise time you were left behind, you're wrong."

"Let me guess, your spidey senses are tingling," Juliet responded sarcastically.

"I think we both know that my so called spidey senses are hardly wrong," Mac told her.

"I'm not a bad person, Mac. I know you don't believe me, but I hope to prove that to you," Juliet told her.

"By saving Claire?" she asked.

Juliet shook her head. "No, I'm helping Claire because I can," she informed her. "You were on your way to a fertility clinic in Los Angeles when the plane crashed, may I ask why?"

Mac cast another glance toward her. "Not that it's any of your business but I was just seeing about maybe having another baby."

"You didn't think you could conceive because of the troubles you had delivering Paige and the removal of one of your ovaries," Juliet told her.

"Why are we even talking about this?" Mac demanded.

"I need to know, were you involved with anyone before the island," Juliet told her.

"Excuse me?" Mac asked.

Juliet stops. "If you want me to go to the caves to get the medicine for Claire, you'll answer the question."

Mac sighed. "No, I hadn't been with anyone in over two years, another reason I would need the clinic. I've answered the question, get moving," Mac ordered. "Now are you going to tell me why the hell this even matters?"

"When you were being held, we took blood tests," Juliet explained.

"Yeah, I figured that out when I woke up with a cotton ball and a band aid on my arm," Mac answered.

"You're pregnant Mac, and if you're telling me the truth about not being with anyone in two years before you got to this island, then it's Sayid's and you have to find a way off this island," Juliet told her.

Mac grabbed her elbow, slowing her down, punching her. "You are heartless you know that? Why would you even lie about something like me being pregnant?"

Juliet touched her cheek where Mac punched her. "I'm not lying and I think you know it. You're starting to get dehydrated easily; one of your earliest symptoms with Sofia wasn't it? Yesterday morning when you thought no one saw you get up and get sick, I did."

"So is that why you're here? To get me so you can do tests on me before I die?" Mac questioned walking with her.

Juliet shook her head. "No one knows but me. I ran the tests myself, and when yours came up positive, I took my blood ran it and gave you a negative result."

"If you're telling me the truth, which I'm still not convinced, why would you do that? Why wouldn't you tell Ben?" she questioned.

Juliet looked at her as they got to the caves. "You've lost enough haven't you?" she questioned. "Do you see a tree with a mark on it?"

Mac walked further in looking for it.

"Found it," Juliet reported trying to open the case.

"Step away from the case!" Sayid told her, as he and Sawyer approached her.

"Listen to me, Sayid," Juliet told him. "Mac I could use a little help here," she told Mac.

"Step back," Sayid repeated again as Mac came into view.

"It's full of medical supplies. They're for Claire. Jack knows all about it," Juliet told them.

"Jack ain't here right now is he?" Sawyer asked, opening the case finding medical supplies.

"I'm telling you the truth," Juliet told them.

"You said earlier if you told me everything you knew, I'd kill you. I'm going to test the validity of that statement," Sayid told her.

"He means talk," Sawyer told her.

"We don't have time for this," she repeated looking at Mac.

"Jack sent me with her to get the medicine; she did this to Claire, supposedly to save her and Aaron when the plane crashed. If there is any hope that she can help Claire we need to go now," Mac answered.

"Not that I don't trust you Drill Sgt, but I don't trust her. We cleared our schedules, we got all the time in the world," Sawyer responded.

"You know it's interesting, that you two are now the camp's moral police. I'm curious, Sayid, how long was it before you told everyone on that beach exactly how many people you've tortured in your life. Do they know about Basra? And I'm sure the first thing you did when you got here, James, was to gather everyone in a circle, and tell them about the man you shot in cold blood the night before you got on the plane. So why don't we just skip the part where you two pretend to be righteous. I'm taking that medication back to Claire. And you're going to let me, because if she doesn't get it, she's going to die. And the last thing, that either of you need right now, is more blood on your hands," she told them walking away.

Six days later:

Mac took a breath, walking up to where Sayid was working on digging holes. "Hey…you got a few minutes?"

Sayid looked up. "Of course," he answered, putting down the shovel. "You haven't slept well the past few nights," he told her, kissing her.

"It's been a hell of a few days, I mean with Claire getting sick, Juliet having the cure, Sun being worried about her baby and Desmond and some of the others having went off on their own," she answered. "Never a dull moment," she added.

"Mac, something is going on. What is it?" he asked.

Mac took a breath. "Usually I like the fact that you don't beat around the bush, but this time, you could and I wouldn't mind."

Sayid walked up to her touching her face. "Tell me."

"When I was walking to the caves with Juliet, she told me that while I was being held they took blood work. And, that my blood work came back being positive for pregnancy," Mac informed him, her voice shaking.

Sayid looked at her. "Do you believe her?"

Mac sighed, sitting down. "I was on my way to a fertility clinic in Los Angeles when the plane crashed. I had been told that conceiving would be almost nearly impossible after Paige, plus I hadn't been with anyone in over two years. But obviously I never made that appointment," she answered. "I wind up on an island with a fertility expert, who tells me that I'm pregnant, which means that I must have gotten pregnant our first night together."

Sayid sat down beside her. "I told you that if it happened, I would not desert you. You waited six days to tell me why?"

"Subconsciously, I knew before she told me. This baby is as thirsty as Sofia was," she stated. "But, I didn't want to risk losing you."

Sayid kissed her. "You will never lose me, especially over something like this. I can't protect you from the Other's if I don't know."

"Juliet said that she falsified my results, so they don't know. I asked her why, and she said that she thought I lost enough," Mac answered.

"Do you believe her?" he asked again.

"I think so, my so called spidey sense didn't tingle when she said it," Mac pointed out. "Hurley," she greeted.

"Hey, can you two keep a secret?" Hurley asked.

Sayid gave Mac a knowing glance. "Yes we can. What's going on Hurley?" he asked.

"Come with me," Hurley instructed.

Mac and Sayid exchanged glances getting up going with him. "What's going on?" Mac asked drinking water.

"We found a woman who parachuted in," Hurley reported. "She said that they found the wreckage of 815 and all of the bodies. That we're all dead."

"Parachuted in?" Mac asked. "What?"

"Yeah," he said taking them to a tent, where Charlie was out front.

"You've already spoken to her?" Sayid questioned.

"Yeah. You're gonna wanna hear it for yourself," Charlie answered.

"And you haven't told Jack?" Sayid questioned.

"No," Charlie answered.

"Good," Sayid answered going into the tent with Mac, nodding at Desmond.

"My name's Sayid Jarrah. I understand your helicopter crashed onto the Island," he said introducing himself. "This is Mackenzie Grayson."

"Actually it crashed in the water," she corrected.

"What's your name?" Sayid asked.

"Naomi. Naomi Dorrit," she answered.

"Naomi, from where exactly did you take off?" Sayid asked.

"A ship. Freighter. About eighty nautical miles west of here. We're part of a search-and-recovery team," she reported.

"You told my friends the wreckage of Flight 815 was discovered. Did you mean the partial wreckage?" he asked.

"No. They found the entire plane off the coast of Bali. In an ocean trench four miles deep. They sent down cameras in these little robots to survey the wreck. The bodies were all there," she answered.

"How is that possible?" Mac questioned.

"Well, obviously we're not dead," Sayid told Naomi.

"Obviously," she responded.

"So if you weren't looking for us, then who were you looking for?" Sayid asked.

"Him," she answered looking at Desmond.

SAYID: Desmond?

"My Company was hired by a woman named Penelope Widmore. I don't know why, I never met her. She gave us a set of coordinates. We'd be conducting a differential GPS grid search ever since," Naomi responded.

"So you knew about the island?" Mac questioned.

"Island? We were given coordinates in the middle of the bloody ocean. We thought it was a fool's errand. Til three days ago. I was flying back for the ship when all of a sudden the clouds cleared and I saw land. The instruments started spinning, I realized I was going down so, I grabbed my chute and I bailed," Naomi answered.

"Did you actually see her helicopter?" Sayid asked Desmond.

"No," he answered.

"You think I'm lying mate?" she asked Sayid.

"He's got a very suspicious nature," Mac told her.

"And I take it you have no means whatsoever of communicating with that freighter of yours?" Sayid questioned.

"What was your name? Sayid?" Naomi asked.

"Yes," he answered.

"Remind me not to rescue you, Sayid," she said taking out a satellite phone.


	31. Chapter 31

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 31**

_Mac sipped her cup of coffee walking in the airport, sitting down waiting for them to call her plane, checking her boarding pass. "Forty Two C," she commented to herself. "At least, I'm near the bathroom."_

"_Flight 338 to Fiji will be delayed. Please check the board for flight details," an announcement came over the loud speaker._

_Mac removed her sun glasses putting them in the pocket of her jacket looking around, a middle eastern man catching her attention diagonally from her._

"_Excuse me, would you mind watching my bag for a moment? I'll be right back," he asked a blond woman._

"_Sure, whatever," she answered._

"_Thank you," he said leaving._

_Mac arched an eyebrow watching the blond woman and a young man argue with each other. "Don't get involved," she told herself._

Mac took a breath, washing her face after throwing up, seeing Sawyer and Sayid walking toward Juliet's tent. "Welcome back Sawyer," she greeted, going up.

"Thanks," he answered.

"Sick again?" Sayid questioned concerned.

Mac nodded. "It's nothing," she answered, kissing his cheek.

"Whatever it is, I don't want it," Sawyer informed her.

Mac and Sayid both shared a look. "Trust me Sawyer, you can't get what I have. What's going on?" she asked, as they went into Juliet's tent.

"She's not here," Sayid pointed out.

"I noticed," Sawyer answered.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked, joining them.

"Looking for Juliet," Sayid answered.

"Well, you're not gonna find her in there. She left with Jack," she explained.

"Juliet left with Jack?" Sayid asked.

"He took off right after I told him about Naomi," Kate told them.

"Kate, you told Jack about Naomi? Why?" Mac asked.

"Who's Naomi?" Sawyer asked.

"And why would you do that, Kate?" Sayid asked.

"Because she's hurt, because he's a doctor, and because he has a right to know," Kate told them.

"Where is he now?" Sayid questioned.

"I dunno, Sayid," Kate answered.

"Of course you don't," he said starting to walk away.

"You know, it might be time for you to tell everybody else about Naomi, too," Kate informed them.

"Play her the tape!" Sayid ordered.

"What tape?" Kate asked Sawyer.

"Guys, what's going on?" Mac asked.

Sawyer played the tape, them hearing Juliet's voice. "Kwon is pregnant, the fetus is healthy and was conceived on-Island with her husband, he was sterile before they got here. I'm still working on getting samples from the other women. I don't think it's viable to take another sample from Grayson due to her age, " Juliet said the tape ending.

Mac took a breath looking at Sayid. "Something's not right," she stated out loud.

"You better believe it's not right, Juliet's a plant and Jack is falling for it and putting us all in danger," Sawyer pointed out.

Mac glanced at Sayid, him nodding. "No, I mean something's not right about Juliet. I don't trust her….but this is the 2nd time she's covered for me from Ben."

"What the hell do you mean covered for you?" Sawyer asked.

"I'm pregnant," she informed Kate and Sawyer. "According to Juliet, when we were being held and my blood work came in, it was positive, but she falsified the report. And, now she mentioned Sun's pregnancy and getting blood from Kate and Shannon, but she doesn't mention me."

Sawyer looked at her. "Congratulations and I'd count myself lucky. So you were seeing someone before we got here?"

"No, Sayid's the father," Mac announced. "But it doesn't make sense, why would she cover for me?"

"Well why don't we find her and ask?" Sawyer asked.

_Mac looked up from her book, arching an eyebrow seeing the blond girl leaving the bag she had told the middle eastern man she would watch. "This can't be good," she thought to herself, watching the bag then continuing to read. _

_A security guard came up about ten minutes later, reaching for the bag._

_Mac took a breath standing up. "Excuse me, I'm sorry, I promised to watch that bag for a gentleman but I moved seats and forgot to take the bag with me."_

_The security guard looked at her. "We had a report from another passenger that a middle eastern man left his bag unattended."_

_Mac took out her Military ID. "I'm a former major in the United States Army, and I know you're just doing your job. But this is totally my fault, and I will accept any charges you want to give me, but it shouldn't be the man's fault just because he's Middle Eastern."_

_The security guard handed back her ID and gave it to her. "Thank you, Major. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding."_

Mac crossed her arms being with the group after they were told about Naomi's revelations about them being dead.

"So, what, the whole world thinks we're dead?" Claire asked, holding Aaron.

"That's not important right now," Sayid answered.

"Not important?" Sun exclaimed.

"What do you mean it's not important, Sayid?" Claire questioned.

"Excuse me. I'm sorry, don't you people want to be rescued?" Naomi questioned.

"We kept her a secret to keep her safe," Sayid answered.

"Safe from what, Sayid?" Kate questioned.

"Safe from Jack. He spent a week with the Others, and he brought one of them back with him. Here, amongst us. And every time we try to get answers from this woman, he prevents her from giving them," he answered.

"Sometime's when someone is held for prisoner, they can be persuaded to do things that they wouldn't do," Mac explained.

"But it's Jack! He would never do anything to hurt us. And Juliet? I believe she's a good person," Sun told them.

"Good person, huh? You basing that on what? Wouldn't involve her taking you to one of their medical stations would it now, Mrs. Kwon?" Sawyer asked.

"How—," Sun started to ask, Sawyer starting to play the tape. "Kwon is pregnant, the fetus is healthy and was conceived on-Island with her husband, he was sterile before they got here. I'm still working on getting samples from the other women. I don't think it's viable to take another sample from Grayson due to her age," Juliet's voice came through the tape.

"Where'd you get that?" Jack asked approaching with Juliet.

"Where have you been, Jack?" Sayid questioned.

"I asked you where you got it," Jack repeated.

"You really think you're in a position to be asking us questions?" Sawyer questioned.

"Turn the tape over," Juliet instructed.

"Stay out of it," Sawyer responded.

"You wanna burn me at the stake, here I am, but first, turn the tape over, press play," Juliet informed him.

Sawyer turns over the tape pressing play, Ben's voice coming over. "Juliet, it's Ben. I'm sending three teams to extract Kwon the night after tomorrow. We won't have time to run Austen's sample, so if you determine that she or anyone else is pregnant, mark their tents and we'll take them too. Good luck," Ben told her on the tape.

"The night I saw your baby on the ultrasound, I told Jack what they were making me do," Juliet stated.

Mac looked at Juliet. "Why did you cover for me again?" she questioned.

"Because as I said before, I thought you've lost enough. I would have covered for Sun but I had to give Ben something," Juliet responded.

"Wait, what's going on?" Jack asked. "Mac you're pregnant?" When he saw Mac nod, he turned to Juliet. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't my place to tell you, it was Mac's," Juliet informed him.

"Why didn't you tell us Jack?" Sayid demanded.

"Because I hadn't decided what to do about it yet," he responded.

"Yet"?" Sayid questioned.

Jack nodded. "I think we've got some catching up to do," he told them. "It's going to be a little bit of a walk."

Juliet hung back, walking with Mac. "How are you feeling?"

Mac shrugged. "Morning sickness is lasting all day, I tire easily," she reported. "I wish you would have taken me to have an ultrasound."

"I couldn't risk it, just in case someone was watching. It looks like you and Sun will both get off this island and have healthy babies," Juliet stated.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," she told her.

"We're here," Jack told them, stopping. "A couple of nights ago, Juliet came to me and she told me everything: that Ben had sent her here to find out which of our women were pregnant..."

"So, what, you guys were doing tests on us?" Kate asked.

"No, but that's what he wanted me to do. I've been leaving tapes at the medical station. You all heard what he said; they're coming tomorrow. Sun, I'm sorry that I lied to you," Juliet told her.

"While I appreciate your honesty, Jack, it doesn't explain why you brought us out here," Sayid pointed out as Mac walked up to him.

"DANIELLE!" Jack called as she suddenly emerges from the trees. "Show them," he ordered as Rousseau grabbed two wires and linked them together causing an explosion which brought down a whole tree.

Mac blinked. "That was impressive."

"And loud," Shannon added.

"When Juliet told me they were coming, the first thing I thought was, "Where the hell are we going to hide this time?" But hiding's pointless. They're just gonna keep coming back. So I went out and I found some help. And for the past few days she's been bringing dynamite back from the Black Rock. For the very first time we know exactly what they want, when they're coming to get it, and they have no idea that we're gonna be waiting for them. So Juliet's going to mark the tents with the white rocks just like she was told to, but there's not going to be any pregnant women inside; there's going be plenty of what we just used on that tree. So tomorrow night, we stop hiding, we stop running, we stop living in fear of them, because when they show up, we're gonna blow them all to hell."

_Mac saw the man approaching who had left his bag with the younger woman. "I think this belongs to you," she stated, handing him the bag. "The other woman's boyfriend needed her to come with him, and I offered to keep an eye on it for you."_

"_Thank you," he answered._

"_No problem," Mac told him. "You should be careful who you leave your bag with, you never know what people will do," she warned, walking away._

Mac walked up to where Sayid, Jack and Juliet were looking at files that they got from the Flame Station. "Now this is The Looking Glass. It's an underwater DHARMA station. Please, can you tell me anything you might know about this place?" Sayid asked Juliet.

"I've never been down there. I don't know anyone who has," she answered.

"Why not?" Jack questioned.

"There was some accident. Ben told us that the station was completely flooded," Juliet told them.

"Well, if it's flooded then how does it still work?" Jack asked.

"Could Ben be lying again?" Mac questioned.

"How it still works is irrelevant. The question is how we get it to stop working, so we can use the satellite phone. The diagram shows that The Looking Glass is connected to the Island by a cable. I feel sure that this is the very same cable down the beach which runs into the ocean. So if we follow the cable, it should lead us to the station," Sayid told them.

"So how are we going to get in?" Jack asked.

"We swim in. There's a moon pool, a room with an open floor at the base if the station, big enough for a submarine to dock. Even if the stations flooded, I think I'll be able to find the relay switch and disable it," Sayid told them.

Mac looked at him. "Hold on, if it's flooded, then you aren't going to be able to swim back out."

Sayid looks at her, touching her face but doesn't say anything.

"No. No, I'm not letting you go on some suicide mission just to flip a switch," Jack told him.

"But someone has to do it or we'll never leave this Island," Sayid told them.

"I'll do it. Swim down, turn off that bloody switch, and swim back up. Piece of cake," Charlie says as he and Desmond join them.

"Charlie, you don't even know what we're talking about," Jack pointed out.

"I was junior swim champion in Northern England. I can hold my breath for four minutes. I know exactly what you're talking about, Jack," he told them.

Mac gave Charlie a glance then looked at Desmond.

"No. And there's no reason to do this now. We're going to focus on the Others, and then we'll deal with this," Jack informed them.

"Wait a minute. We have the chance to signal for a rescue," Sayid told him.

"Look, for 90 days I've been asked to make decisions for this entire camp. There you go. I just made one," Jack told them leaving.

Mac took a breath walking away, Claire catching up to her. "Congratulations!" she greeted hugging her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't tell Sayid until a couple days ago," Mac explained.

"So it is Sayid's?" Claire questioned. "I mean…"

Mac held up her hand. "I hadn't been with anyone else in over two years," she explained.

"So it happened quickly," Claire stated.

"Yeah," Mac answered, hearing a commotion, seeing Sayid tackle someone. "Excuse me," she told Claire, as she took off running.

"Get off him, dammit, it's OK," Sawyer yelled coming up.

"What? He's one of them!" Sayid exclaimed, as Mac joined him.

"I know, I know, it's OK. He was in the cage next to me. I know this guy. What the hell are you doing here, Karl?" Sawyer asked.

"They're coming, my people," Karl informed them as he stood up.

"Sorry you came all this way for nothing, but we already know," Sawyer responded.

"Then why are you still here?" Karl asked.

"Because when your people show up here tomorrow night, we're gonna be ready for them," Sawyer explained.

"Tomorrow? No. No, they're coming tonight. They're coming right now!" Karl yelled.

Mac turned around. "Jack! We need you!"

Jack came and joined them. "What's going on?"

"He says that the Other's are coming now, tonight," Mack explained.

Jack looks at him. "Is that true?"

"Yeah," he answered.

"You trust him?" Jack asks Kate.

Kate shrugs. "Hey Jack what about asking Sawyer and I if we trust him, we were over there too. I trust him. Sawyer?" Mac asked.

Sawyer nodded. "The kids' got my vote.

"You don't trust me? What about her!" Karl asked as he pointed to Juliet. "She's a spy. She's supposed to mark the tents of the pregnant women with white rocks so they can take them."

"They know, Karl, but thanks," Juliet told him.

"So what are we going to do?" Hurley asked.

"We have to leave now. Hide," Sun suggested.

Where? It's their Island; if they wanna kill us; they'll find us," Bernard told them.

"So we're just going to wait to be picked off?" Shannon asked.

"No, Shannon," Mac calmed the younger woman down.

"The sun's gonna go down in a few hours. Do we have enough wire yet?" he asked Rousseau.

"Not even close," Rousseau answered.

"We've gotta figure out a different way of setting the dynamite off," Jack told them.

"We could shoot," Sayid suggested.

"We don't have enough guns. He said that ten of them are coming, armed," Jack reminded him.

"Not the Others, the tents. We can camouflage the dynamite next to the tents. Target it from our positions at the tree line," Sayid explained.

"Juliet marked three tents, that mean we need three guns," Jack reasoned, as Karl pulled out a gun.

"Whoa!" Hurley

"Here, you can have mine too," Karl told them.

"I'll be your third," Danielle told them.

"We'll take your gun, but you're not staying here. You're gonna lead everyone to the radio tower, everyone," Jack told her.

"Radio tower?" Claire asked.

"Now if this doesn't work, we can't risk losing the chance of getting in contact with Naomi's boat, so everything has to happen at the same time. Charlie? You still up for a swim?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, I believe I am," he answered.

"I'll go with him," Desmond told him.

"OK. We better get to it," Jack told them.

_Mac washed her face in the bathroom mirror at the airport seeing the blond that had left the bag. "Excuse me? May I talk to you for a moment?"_

_The blond woman sighed. "What?"_

"_I saw you agree to watch a man's bag, and then get up and leave it. I can only guess that you also reported that it had been left unattended," Mac informed her._

"_So what if I did? Why is it any business of yours?" she asked Mac._

"_You could have caused that man a lot of unnecessary trouble and aggravation, for nothing," Mac explained._

"_Whatever," Shannon responded walking away._

_Mac grabbed her elbow. "No, not whatever," she responded. "I'm half tempted to take you to security and tell them that you agreed to watch the bag then left. Karma has a way of catching up with people," she told the younger woman, leaving the bathroom._

Mac sighed watching Bernard shoot. "You want me to hit another one?" Bernard asked.

"No, you've made your point," Sayid told him.

"Bernard, this is not pheasant hunting in Montgomery County," Rose reminded him.

"I know what I'm doing," Bernard insisted.

"No, you don't. Pheasants don't shoot back," Rose told him.

"Nothing's gonna happen to me, Rose. I just have to shoot a tent. And I'll be right behind ya," he insisted.

"Then I'm staying, too," Rose told them.

"No, you're not, Rose," Jack said arriving. "Everyone's gathering down at the south end of the beach. No one's staying behind but the shooters," Jack told her.

"Says who? You wanna give me your word that nothing's going to happen to my husband, and then I go," Rose stated.

"I'll give you my word that if we don't kill everyone that shows up here in about an hour, it's not gonna matter where Bernard is," Jack told him

"I like you better since you got back, Jack. You're almost an optimist. [To Bernard] Come on. If you're gonna be hiding in the bushes, let's get ya into something dark," Rose insisted.

"You better get going. Rousseau says it's about a day's walk up to the radio tower," Jack told Sayid.

"I'm not taking them to the tower, you are," Sayid told him.

"Excuse me?" Jack asked.

"You're not staying behind," Sayid repeated.

"This was my idea," Jack reminded him.

"And I'm perfectly capable of executing it," Sayid pointed out.

"I owe them!" Jack exclaimed.

"What are you more concerned about, killing the Others, or getting our people off this Island? This afternoon you said you were our leader. It's time for you to act like one. Lead them to the radio tower, Jack. And then take us all home," Sayid told him.

"We have our three shooters," Mac told Jack.

"We still need one more," Sayid answered.

"You, Bernard and me, that's three," Mac reminded him.

"You're not staying behind," both Jack and Sayid told her.

"Hold on, just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I still can't shoot," she pointed out.

"I'll go check to make sure everyone's getting ready," Jack said excusing himself.

Sayid turned to look at Mac. "No one doubts that you are a good shot, but you can't be here. The Other's objectives are to get pregnant women, you are pregnant," he pointed out.

"But they don't know that," Mac insisted.

"What if this fails? What if we're captured? They will," he said touching her face. "Not to mention that I would be too worried about you and our child to concentrate on the objective."

Mac gave a small smile. "Just promise me you'll be right behind me," Mac questioned.

Sayid nodded kissing her. "Take my book bag, pack what you need. You shouldn't be handling your duffle bag."

Mac laughed, shaking her head.

"What?" Sayid asked.

"It's just funny, in three days you've been more worried about me then Robert was at any time during my two pregnancies," Mac explained.

Sayid kissed her. "Wait until we get off this island. Go and pack plenty of water," he instructed.


	32. Chapter 32

**SINK OR SWIM**

**Chapter 32**

***author's note: This is the start of the flash forwards; thankfully, I was running out of flashback's. And though Nadia will be mentioned, yeah the whole thing didn't happen w/him getting married to her. If you're still reading up to this point, thank you and review!**

_Jack stopped the ambulance drivers bringing in the stretcher. "Mac? Mac? Can you hear me?" he asked. He looked at the EMT's. "What happened?"_

"_Car accident, looks like a hit and run driver. You know her?" one of them asked._

_Jack nodded. "Mackenzie Jarrah, she was on flight 815 with me," he informed them, touching her very pregnant stomach. "Get her up to labor and delivery now," he ordered, taking out his cell phone, dialing the number._

"_Hello?" the male's voice answered._

"_Sayid, it's Jack," he told him._

"_Jack, are you trying to cancel dinner plans tonight?" Sayid questioned._

"_Mac was just brought in by ambulance, she was in a car accident," he told Sayid._

"_I'm on my way. Jack…how bad is it?" Sayid asked._

"_I don't know. I sent her up to labor and delivery, just as a precaution. I'll head up there now," he said, hanging up. _

Mac arched an eyebrow at Sayid. "Another water bottle, really?" she asked, picking it up.

"Just making sure you have enough to drink," he told her as Jack came up.

"You have everything you need?" Jack questioned.

"No, but I made the best out of what we have," Sayid told him.

"Bernard and Jin?" Jack asked as they watch Bernard load a gun and Jin spoke with Sun.

"They're both excellent shots...and highly motivated. The dynamite's in place. We won't miss. Jack, no matter what happens here, I want you to keep moving; keep moving for that radio tower. Don't turn back for any reason. I'm willing to give my life if it means securing rescue, but I'm not giving it up for nothing. You understand?" Sayid questioned, as Mac looked at him.

"Yeah, I understand," Jack told them. "Mac you ready?"

"Yeah," she answered, as Jack and Sayid shake hands.

"And good luck," Sayid told Jack.

"You too," Jack told him.

"I'll be right there, Jack," Mac told him, Jack nodding and leaving. "I love you, you know that right?" she told Sayid.

Sayid nodded, kissing her. "I love you too. Never forget," he told her touching her cheek. "Go," he told her.

"All right, let's do it," Jack told them as Mac joins them.

Rousseau leads on as almost the entire camp starts following. Sayid, Bernard and Jin stand by themselves further away.

_Mac moaned trying to sit up. _

"_Easy," Sayid said, kissing her. "Welcome back," he told her._

"_What….what happened?" she asked. "Where am I? The baby…"_

"_You were in a car accident, you're at the hospital, actually the hospital Jack works at," Sayid told her. "And, the baby is fine. They had to do an emergency c section but he's fine," Sayid explained touching her face. "Perfect just like his mother," he told her, looking up as Jack came in with a wheel chair._

"_Are you up to meet your son?" Jack questioned._

"_Yes…."Mac answered, taking a breath, Jack and Sayid both helping her._

"_The cops are going to want to talk to you when you feel up to it, about the accident. But I put them off for a while," he told them._

"_Do they think it was more than just a car accident?" Mac questioned. _

_Sayid and Jack exchanged glances. "It was a hit and run," Jack told her. _

"_I need you to tell me exactly what you remember," Sayid told her bending down. _

"_I will…but can I see the baby first, please?" she begged._

_Jack nodded starting to push the wheel chair. "Let's go."_

Mac took a breath watching the smoke rise from the tents.

"Why were there only two explosions?" Sun asked.

"Maybe they didn't have to blow the third tent," Jack explained.

"But those gunshots, what was that all..." Rose started to explain.

"He's OK, Rose," Jack assured her as Mac came up, putting her hand on Rose's shoulder.

"Do you believe that?" Sun questioned.

"Listen, they had no idea that we were waiting for them. And Sayid's with your husbands, they're gonna be fine and they're gonna be a couple of hours behind us," Jack assured them.

"Then we should wait for them here. You go on..." Sun offered.

"No. No-one gets left behind," Jack told them.

"If you say live together die alone to me Jack, I'm going to punch you in your face," Rose told him.

"Fair enough, Rose. Fair enough. But we have a plan. And for all we know, it worked. It's gonna be OK, everything's gonna be all right. Let's just keep moving, OK?" Jack addressed the whole crowd.

Everyone starts to follow Jack. Mac looks at Rose and Sun. "I know I'm not married to Sayid, but I'm worried to."

Rose smiled, touching her hand. "You might as well be," she told her.

"It's ok, let's go," Sun told them.

Mac took a breath after they walk a little while longer, the group stopping at a stream, Mac filling up the water bottles. "Jack," she greeted, as he bent down.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered. "You don't think it worked do you?" she questioned him.

"You heard what I told Rose and Sun, I was saying it to you too," Jack answered. "He's changed since he got involved with you," he told her.

"Is that a good thing?" she questioned.

"Yeah, it's a good thing," he answered.

_Mac kisses the babies hand, finishing nursing him as Sayid came in to the room. "I called your sister and Lydia. I also called Kate," he explained, coming over to them, kissing Mac then touching the baby's head. "They all asked the same thing, what his name was."_

_Mac laughed. "We didn't quite arguing over that yet did we?" she asked._

"_We thought we had another month," Sayid told her, kissing her. "We need to talk about the crash."_

"_Interesting that you used the word crash, and not accident," Mac pointed out. "You and Jack don't think it was an accident do you?" she asked._

_Sayid sat on the edge of the bed touching her face. "My job is to protect you and our son, and I want to know if there was any chance of this being more than just a hit and run."_

"_Sometimes things are just what they seem Sayid," she pointed out._

"_And sometimes they are more," he told her. "Especially when we are keeping the secrets we are," he told her._

_Mac sighed. "Fine," she answered. "Do you want to hold your son?" Mac asked._

_Sayid grinned. "Of course," he told her, taking him. "Go on," he instructed. _

"_I called you right after leaving Jordan's from the baby shower," she told him._

"_That was 2:30," he told her, touching the baby's cheek._

"_I stopped to pick up a bottle of wine to take to Jack's tonight, that took maybe five minutes," she stated. _

"_Did you see anyone following you? Or anyone acting strange?" he asked._

_Mac shook her head. "No," she answered. "I got onto the ramp; I was going back to the hotel to rest until you came back to take a shower. The next thing I know I woke up here," she told him._

"_Perhaps it was just an accident," Sayid admitted, kissing the baby's hand._

"Hello Jack, we need to talk," Ben stated as him and Alex appeared out of nowhere.

Kate moved to the flank, Mac going next to Jack.

"Hi, I'm Benjamin; I don't believe we've had the pleasure..." Ben started introducing himself to Naomi.

Don't talk to him!" he ordered Naomi. "What do you want Ben?"

"Just a moment of your time, to talk, just you and me," Ben told Jack.

"For what?" Jack questioned.

"Jack, you've just killed seven of my people, the least you can give me is five minutes," he explained.

"He alone?" he asks Kate who returned.

Kate nodded. "There's only two sets of tracks, his and hers."

"Five minutes," Jack told him.

Mac grabbed Jack's elbow. "You want to talk to Jack, I'm coming."

Ben looked at her. "This is between me and Jack," Ben told her.

"I'll be fine," Jack stated to Mac.

"I don't think the two of you understand I wasn't asking permission. If you want to talk to Jack, Ben, I'm coming too," she told them, walking in front of them. "You coming?" she asked.

Ben nodded at Jack, walking with him, Jack grabbing Ben's walkie.

"This is far enough Mac," Ben told her, stopping at another part of the beach. "Have a seat, both of you."

They both sit down, Ben joining them. "Not so long ago, Jack. I made a decision that took the lives of over 40 people in a single day. I'm telling you this because, history is about to repeat itself, right here, right now," he told them.

"Let me guess, you've got us surrounded, and if I don't do what you say you're gonna, you're gonna kill all my people," Jack told him.

"No Jack, you are," Ben told him.

Jack laughed, looking at Mac. "And how am I going to do that, Ben?"

"The woman you're traveling with. The one who parachuted onto the Island from that helicopter. She's not who she says she is," Ben told them.

"She's not, huh?" Jack asked.

"No, she's not," Ben assured him.

"Then who is she?" Mac asked.

"She's a representative of some people who've been trying to find this Island, Jack. She's one of the bad guys," he told them.

"Oh, I almost forgot, you're the, you're the good guys," Jack said sarcastically.

"Jack, listen to me. If you phone her boat, every single living person on this Island will be killed. So here's what has to happen. Get that device, the phone she carries with her, and give it me. I will turn around, we'll go back to my people, you will turn around and go back to your people," Ben informed him.

"I'm not going anywhere," Jack told him. They both stand, facing each other, Mac taking a breath, standing next to Jack.

"May I have my walkie back?" Ben asked.

"What?" Jack questioned.

"There's something you need to hear. Please," Ben told them. "Mac please go, you don't need to hear this."

Mac looked at him. "I'm not going anywhere," she said as Jack gave him the walkie.

"Thank you. Tom, are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Tom answered.

"Your plan killed seven of my people, but the one's that you failed to kill are now holding your friends. Jin, Sayid, Bernard, at gunpoint," Ben informed Jack and Mac.

Mac glanced at Jack taking a breath.

"Jack, don't give him anything!" Sayid screamed over the walkie.

Mac heard a struggle over the walkie then Bernard screaming "Leave him alone!"

"I said shut up!" a different voice said.

"And what's to stop me from snapping your neck?" Jack told him.

"Tom, unless you hear my voice in one minute, shoot all three of them," Ben ordered.

"Got it," Tom responded as Ben looked at his watch.

"I said don't move!" a male's voice came over the walkie.

"Bring me the phone, Jack," Ben told him.

"Don't negotiate with him!" Sayid yelled.

"Mac bring me the phone," Ben told her. "If you want to save Sayid and the other's, bring it to me."

"Mac no!" Sayid screamed.

Mac shook her head taking a breath. "No."

"Gag him," Tom ordered.

"No!" Jin yelled.

"Forty seconds," Ben informed them.

"No. I'm getting them all off the Island. ALL OF THEM!" Jack yelled.

"Let me ask you something, Jack. Why do you wanna leave the Island? What is it that you so desperately want to get back to? You have no-one. Your father's dead, your wife left you, moved on with another man. Can you just not wait to get back to the hospital? Get back to fixing things? It's 20 seconds now. Just get me the phone, Jack," Ben told him, looking at Mac. "You love Sayid, are you going to have his death on your hands?"

Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. "No," both said.

"Ten seconds. Bring me the phone," Ben told him again.

"No," Jack repeated.

"I'm not bluffing!" Ben warned them.

"I WON'T DO IT!" Jack exclaimed.

"Five. Four. Three... " Ben told them.

"No," he answered again as three shots could be heard over the walkie talkie.

"Sayid!" Mac screamed.

"I'm so sorry, Jack," Ben told him, looking at Mac. "I'm sorry I really am."

Jack attacks Ben, hitting him numerous times and causing his own knuckles to bleed. He grabs the walkie. "Tom. Are you there?" Jack questioned.

"Yeah, Jack, I hear you," Tom answered.

"I'm going to lead my people up to the radio tower. And I'm gonna make a call. And I'm gonna get 'em all rescued, every one of them. And then I'm gonna come find you, and I'm gonna kill you," Jack told him, looking at Mac.


	33. Chapter 33

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 33**

Jack dragged Ben back to the camp. "Tie him up. He's coming with us," Jack ordered. "Kate, come with me," Jack ordered.

"What happened? What'd he say?" Kate asked, seeing Mac bending over crying. "Mac, is it the baby?" she asked, going over to her.

Mac shook her head. "Tell her Jack!"

"It's not important right now. Just, get everything together—" Jack started to explain.

"Not important?" Mac screamed.

"Jack. Your knuckles, here." Kate said, cleaning it for him. "Someone tell me what's going on."

"He killed them, Bernard, Jin, Sayid, all three of them. He radioed the beach. And I let it happen. I had to let it happen. We can't tell Rose, or Sun, not yet. We gotta keep moving, I promised Sayid, that we would keep moving,"

"So why did you bring him back? Why didn't you just kill him?" Kate asked.

"Because I want him to see it. I want him to experience the moment that we get off this Island, and I want him to know, that he failed. And then I'll kill him," Jack answered.

"We have to tell Sun and Rose!" Mac exclaimed.

Kate took a breath, going over to her. "Mac, I'm so sorry," Kate said hugging her. "But we have to keep moving so they didn't die for anything. Jack go ahead, Mac and I'll be right behind you," Kate told him.

Mac looked at her. "Everyone I love or care about always winds up dying."

Kate touched her face. "Mac, Sayid sacrificed himself so you and this baby can get home, so we all can get home. He loved you, I could see it in his eyes every time he looked at you. You aren't alone, Mac," Kate assured her.

Mac wiped her eyes, standing up. "Let's go," she said.

_Mac opened her eyes, seeing Sayid rocking the baby in the chair next to the hospital bed. "Hey."_

"_Hey," he greeted, kissing her. _

_Mac touched his face. "I'm still getting used to you without a beard," she told him smiling. "How is he?"_

"_Good," Sayid answered. "I still can't believe I was capable of creating something so pure and perfect."_

"_You did have help," Mac reminded him with a smile. "Sayid, you're a good person, if it wasn't for you, then we wouldn't be here right now."_

"_Does one good deed really cancel out all the pain I've caused people?" he asked._

_Mac touched his face. "It's a lot more than one good deed, Sayid."_

Mac walked up to the radio tower with the other survivors, suddenly hearing Hurley's voice from the walkie talkie Jack is carrying.

"Attention, Others. Come in, Others. If you're listening in, I want you to know that we got you bastards. And, unless the rest of you wanna be blown up, you best stay away from our beach…"

"Hurley?" Jack asked, stopping with the rest of the survivors.

"Jack?" Hurley asked.

"Where are you, what's going on?" Jack questioned.

"Dude, I'm back at the beach," Hurley informed him.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, I went back to help Juliet and Sawyer. I, I saved them," Hurley reported.

"They're OK, Juliet and—" Jack stated.

"Everyone's fine. Me, Sawyer, Juliet, Sayid, Jin, Bernard, we're all—" Hurley reported.

"What, wait. Bernard and Jin and Sayid, they're with you?" Jack exclaimed.

"Yeah, dude, I told you, I saved 'em all," Hurley reported.

Everyone shouting and hugging, especially Sun, Rose, and Mac.

"Hey, stay where you are, we're almost up to the tower. You'll be safer there," Jack warned Hurley.

"Yeah, I got ya, we'll stay put until you, like, phone home," Hurley responded.

Claire steps forward to speak into the walkie. "What about Charlie, did he make it back yet?"

"Not yet, but they're probably paddling home as we speak. Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine," Hurley told Claire.

Kate looked at Jack. "Give Mac the walkie, let her talk to Sayid. She needs to hear his voice to believe it," Kate pleaded with him.

Jack nodded giving Kate the walkie talkie, her walking it back to where Mac was. "Come on, let's take a walk," she told her. "I thought maybe you would want to talk to Sayid," she told her handing her the walkie.

"Sun and Rose need to talk to Jin and Bernard," Mac responded.

"Sun and Rose didn't hear what you did, you heard the gun shots, and you thought they were dead. That Sayid was dead," Kate told the woman, handing her the walkie, her walking away.

Mac took a breath. "Sayid?" she questioned softly into the walkie talkie.

"Hey dude, you're being called for," she heard Hurley say.

"Mac," Sayid answered.

"I thought….I mean…"she started to explain tears coming to her eyes.

"Shh…I'm fine. I'll see you soon, I love you," he said.

"I love you too," she told him, taking a breath walking back to the group.

"You ok?" Claire asked.

"Yeah," Mac answered.

_Jordan touched her nephew's hair. "Hello, I'm your aunt Jordan, your mommy is sleeping and your daddy is out shopping for you since you were born in Los Angeles, and not in Miami. But he said I could come in for a visit."_

"_His mother would be sleeping if her little sister wasn't so loud," Mac answered, opening her eyes. "Hey."_

"_Hey yourself," she said kissing her cheek. "I couldn't believe it when Sayid called and told me about the accident. You had just left the restaurant about an hour earlier. I'm glad you're ok," she said, looking over at the baby. "That both of you are ok. It's strange," she told her._

"_What?" Mac asked._

"_I was so angry at you when you refused to help mom, then 8 months later, your plane crashes, and I thought I lost you. But as sick as mom was, she started looking for ways to profit from your death," Jordan stated._

_Mac laughed. "I told her once that if I was in a plane crash, she'd act like this loving mother who was grieving, and go for all I was worth to her dead."_

_Jordan nodded. "She did just that….I left. Finally I knew that she wouldn't change. But you weren't around for me to tell you that you were right. Now you are and you were right."_

"_Sorry," Mac answered._

_Jordan shook her head. "Don't worry about it. You survived a plane crash, you fell in love, and you conceived the most beautiful baby in the world. I wasn't there for you when the girls were born, but thank you for letting me be here now."_

_Mac touched her face. "I wouldn't have it any other way."_

"_So when can you get out of here?" Jordan asked her sister._

"_Couple days," she responded. "Then we're going to stay here in LA for another week, and drive to Miami."_

"_You're still planning on driving?" Jordan asked her. "With a new born?" _

"_We don't like planes," Mac simply stated._

Mac looks up as Jack, Kate, Danielle and Naomi exit the room.

"I'm getting something!" Naomi exclaimed.

"It's gonna work! It's happening, we're gonna get off of this Island!" Kate told them.

"We'll celebrate when we're home," he answered.

"Jack! I know you think you're saving your people. But you need to stop this. It's a mistake," Ben warned them again.

"The mistake was listening to you," Jack responded.

"This'll be your last chance, Jack. I'm telling you, making that call is the beginning of the end," Ben warned.

"I've got it, I've got a signal!" Naomi exclaimed.

"Jack, please, you don't know what you're doing!" Ben pleased.

"I know exactly what I'm doing," Jack told him as Naomi pressed a button before she fell, a knife sticking out her back.

"Locke? What did you do?" Mac questioned.

"JOHN!" Jack yelled

"Step back, Jack," John warned.

"What did you do?" Jack asked.

"What I had to. Now step back," he repeated as the signal that someone has to answer it. "Stay away from the phone."

Jack dived for the phone; Locke shot at it but missed.

"What are you doing, John?" Jack asked again.

"I don't wanna shoot you," John repeated.

"Do it, John! Shoot him! Do what you need to do—"Ben yelled as Rousseau knocked him unconscious.

"Please. Put the phone down," Locke begged.

"No. You're done keeping me on this Island," Jack told him.

"I will kill you if I have to," he warned.

"Then do it, John," Jack told him.

"Jack," Kate warned.

Locke lowers the gun. "Jack. You're not supposed to do this."

Mac watched as the phone was answered.

"Minkowski. Hello?"

"Who is this?" Jack asked.

"Who is this?" asked the man on the phone.

"My name is Jack Shephard. Are you; are you on the boat, the freighter?"

"How'd you get this channel?" the man asked.

"Naomi, Naomi told us about your search team, about the boat.

"Naomi. You found her? Where is she? Who are you?" the man asked.

"I'm one of the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. Can you get a fix on our location?" Jack asked.

"Hell yeah we can. Sit tight. We'll be right there," the man answered.


	34. Chapter 34

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 34**

***author's note: Maqudor is a Muslim name meaning Fate and Destiny**

Mac took the torch from Jack as Rousseau approached.

"I found blood, the girl's trail. Probably crawled away. Can't be more than 10 minutes ahead of us. We should go, now, and find her," Rousseau told him.

"We're taking him with us," Jack said motioning to Ben.

"Why would we do that?" Rousseau asked.

"Because I don't trust him with anybody but me," Jack told her going to the rest of the group. "Alright, listen up. I need all of you to head back down to the beach. When these people show up, we wanna make sure that we're real easy for them to find. Ok?"

"You look worried, Jack," Claire stated.

"The only thing I'm worried about is missing our ride home," Jack told her.

"I found her trail. She's headed West across the Island," Kate told Jack meeting up with them.

"Rousseau already found it, we're going after her right now," Jack told her.

"But, are you sure its hers?" Kate asked.

"Unless someone else is bleeding," Jack answered.

"But if she didn't want us to find her then she could have created a dummy trail. I think we should follow both just in case," Kate told him.

"Kate, six hours from now we're gonna be sitting on that boat laughing about the fact that there was one final thing that we couldn't agree upon. Naomi is hurt, she ran into the jungle, she's not thinking about leaving fake trails," Jack told her.

"You're right," Kate said.

"I'll track her down, why don't you get everybody back to the beach," Jack told Kate.

"I'm going with you," Mac stated.

"No you're not," Jack told her.

"He's right, do you think I'm going back to the beach and tell Sayid you're not with me. No, that's not going to happen," Kate told her, hugging Jack.

Mac hugged Jack, as her and Kate walked away.

"I need you to get everyone to the beach," Kate told Mac.

Mac looked at her. "Kate what are you doing?"

"Following the real trail," she told her. "Go, get everyone back to the beach," Kate told her.

_Mac listened from the doorway of the hotel room, to Sayid on the phone with someone. She waited until he hung up to make her presence known. "Sayid, who was on the phone?"_

"_It was no one," he answered kissing her. "You should be resting; Maquador will be waking up to be fed soon."_

"_Why are you lying to me Sayid?" Mac questioned._

"_Why are you accusing me of lying?" he asked._

"_You've made three phone calls since we got back to the hotel, and each time you've made sure you were away from me. Who were you talking to Sayid?" Mac demanded to know._

"_Ben," he answered._

_Mac arched her eyebrows. "Are you saying that he got off the island?" Mac asked. "You know what; don't answer that, because I don't want to know. What I do want to know is why you are talking with him. You can't forget what he did," she told him. "And why did he contact you?"_

"_I contacted him," Sayid informed her, touching her face. _

"_Excuse me? How did you even know he was off the island?" Mac questioned._

"_I saw him, when we were leaving the hospital, with the baby. After I got the two of you settled, I went outside, and there he was," Sayid answered._

"_Obviously you didn't tell him where he could go," Mac answered._

"_He got the report from the police station; the break lines to the rental car were cut. This was no accident," he reported, touching her face. "Someone was trying to hurt you, the baby, and even me."_

"_Yeah, well I wouldn't put it past being Ben," she told him. "Why do you believe him?"_

"_I didn't say I believed anything that came out of his mouth, I'm gathering information," he simply stated. "Information that I can use to keep you and our son safe."_

Mac leads the tower group out of the bushes, seeing guns being pointed at them. "Just us…"she said coming out going over to Sayid kissing him. "Locke what are you doing here?"

"Trying to save you," he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked, noticing Claire crying on Hurley's shoulder.

"Charlie?" she whispered to Sayid, him nodding his head.

"What, what happened? I mean, how, how did he..." Claire asked.

"He was trying to help us," Hurley explained.

Everyone standing silently, Rousseau and Ben arrive followed by Jack who quickly punches Locke, and takes his gun aiming it at him.

"Jack," Juliet said.

"You're not gonna shoot me, Jack. Any more than I was gonna shoot—" Locke told him, as Jack pulled the trigger but nothing happened.

"It's not loaded," Locke informed him.

Jack attacked Locke, Sawyer and Sayid pulling Jack off of him.

"Come on," Sawyer told Jack.

"Let go of me! Do you know what he did?" Jack yelled.

"Yes, I know what he did!" Sayid shouted back.

Locke got up off the ground. "All I did, all I have ever done, has been in the best interest of all of us."

"Are you insane?" Jack questioned.

"I know I, I have a lot of explaining to do. But, I never did anything to hurt any of you. I even risked my life to tell you there was a traitor in your midst," he said pointing to Juliet.

"She helped us, John. All you ever did was blow up every chance we had of getting off of this island. You killed Naomi," Jack told him.

"Well, technically, he didn't kill her, yet," Ben said.

"Don't you ever shut up?" Shannon asked.

"Yes, he did," Kate informed them as she arrived. "She just died. She didn't give you up, John. She covered for us, and she fixed this," she told him, handing the satellite phone to Jack. "They're on their way."

"She didn't cover for anyone. She wants her people to come here. And trust me, when they do we had better be far away from here. I'm going to the Barracks. The Others abandoned them. It's the only place on the Island with any form of security right now; it'll have to do until I can think of something else. Until then, if you wanna live, you need to come with me," Locke told them.

"No one's going anywhere with you, John, because they're not crazy," Jack told him.

"He's not crazy. What about Charlie? Charlie went down to that place so we could all be rescued. And whatever he did down there, it worked. But then something must have happened. He must have heard something before he... don't know why, but he changed his mind," Hurley told them. "Because the last thing he did was to warn us that the people on that boat are not who they said they were. So I'm not listening to you. I'm listening to my friend. I'm listening to Charlie," Hurley told them standing with Locke.

"Anyone else? There isn't much time," Locke asked, as Claire, Shannon, Nathan and a few others join him.

"Jack, with your permission, I'd like to go with John," Ben offered.

"He's all yours," Jack told him.

Ben, Rousseau, and Alex join Locke.

"Jack can I say something?" Mac asked.

"Go ahead," Jack told her.

"Are you going to ask my permission Mac?" Locke asked.

"No because I really don't care what you think anyway. Nathan, I saved your life once remember? When we were on the other side of the island and Ana Lucia was convinced that you were an Other, remember?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, of course," he responded.

"Ana asked me how I knew it was Goodwin and not you, and I told her that I just knew," she reminded him.

"Why are you telling me this now?" Nathan asked.

"Because the same feeling that saved you once, is telling me again that you need to stay here, all of you need to stay," she informed them.

"Mac, what are you talking about?" Claire asked.

"Juliet, tell them!" she ordered.

"Mac has always had a bit of a high ESP reading, it was one of the reason's Ben wanted her to join us. It's gotten stronger on the island, as he knew it would when he saw her file," Juliet explained.

"So what exactly are you saying that Charlie was wrong?" Hurley questioned.

Mac shook her head. "No I believe it's not Penny's boat, but the safer place to be isn't with Locke. I can't explain it, I never could, but I'm asking you to trust me, all of you," she told them, moving back over to Sayid. A few others going back to Jack's side, including Nathan and Shannon.

"You said you'd never leave the Island, if you wanna go with Locke, I'll be right behind you," Bernard offered.

"I'm not going anywhere with that man," Rose told him as Sawyer moves to join them.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked.

"Same thing I've always done, Kate, surviving," he answered as it started to rain.

"You know where to find us when you change your mind," Locke informed them as he led the group away.


	35. Chapter 35

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 35**

Mac sat at the grave yard, pushing her hair out of her eyes, smiling softly feeling Sayid's hand go on her shoulder. "Hey."

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"Of course not," she answered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he questioned.

Mac looked at him. "Exactly how should I have brought that up Sayid? Hello I'm Mac, and I sometimes get goose bumps right before something bad happens. But don't worry, because by the time I get these feelings, it's usually too late to do anything about it," she answered. "That isn't exactly a way to start a conversation is it?"

Sayid touched her face. "You can tell me anything you know that. You did use those feelings to save Nathan," he pointed out.

"One time," she countered. "Only one time out of a hundred, Sayid, have I been able to stop something. And that isn't very good odds."

Sayid kissed her softly. "You knew Michael had killed Ana and Libby," he reminded her.

"But I didn't prevent them from being murdered, any more then I prevented my daughters' from being murdered," she advised him.

"Perhaps you weren't supposed to save them," he told her, running his hand through her hair. "Maybe that's not what it's meant to do."

"Then what is it supposed to do?" Mac questioned. "It would be useful if it was good for something other than just being the cause of getting strange looks."

"No one looked at you strange when you said what you said," Sayid informed her. "Perhaps what Juliet said is right, that the island is making it more pronounced. And because of that, you are using it more."

"It didn't save Ana or Libby," she reminded him.

"I'm sure Jack wants to save everyone too, but sometimes it's out of his hands. Maybe this isn't meant for you to save everyone, but guide you to make decisions," he said kissing her.

Juliet approached from behind them. "I hate to interrupt, but Jack still isn't back. Any sign of the freighter?" she asked.

"No. But it's a big Island. The freighter could be approaching from the other side," Sayid pointed out.

"That's the spirit," Juliet answered.

"Juliet, you lived amongst the Others. Why would Ben say the people coming here intend to do us harm?" he asked.

"Because he's a liar, and he's trying to scare us, that's what Ben does. Or, because the people coming here intend to do us harm. How many guns do you have left?" she questioned.

"Why do you need to know that?" Mac asked.

"They should have been here by now, and you know it. We need to go after them," Juliet told them.

_Mac took a breath as Sayid stopped the car. "You ok?" he asked, squeezing her hand._

_Mac nodded, taking a breath. "I just need a minute before I get out of the car."_

"_Are you sure you want to do this alone?" Sayid questioned, kissing her softly, putting his hand on her stomach. _

_Mac nodded. "Yeah, just for a few minutes. Keep an eye out for any photographer's," she instructed, getting out of the car, buttoning her coat, walking through the grave yard, taking a breath bending down in front of the large headstone. "Hello Angels," she told them, using her gloved hand to wipe the snow off of the headstones. "I'm sorry it's been so long since I've been able to come and see you, but I was in a plane crash. My friend Libby died on the island, I asked her to keep an eye on the two of you, and I hope you've met her. I met someone on the island…we were married just a few days ago. And, you're getting a little brother. I need to apologize about acting like you never existed, and that was wrong. You were the two of the best things ever to happen to me, and I was honored to be your mother," she told them, touching the headstone, hearing someone come from behind her. "Sayid, perfect timing," she said, _

_standing and turning. "Mason…"_

Mac nodded at Sayid and Juliet when she heard Jack's voice. The three took position behind the tree lines, Sayid making sure Jack saw him.

"They didn't kill her. Happened like they said it did," a man informed the others as the phone beeped.

"It's Charlotte, only three kilometers from here," another man responded.

"Alright then, let's go get her," the first man stated. "I said let's go," he told Jack and Kate again after he noticed they weren't moving.

"You need to put the guns down," Jack instructed.

"What?" the darker man asked.

"Put the guns down," Jack repeated.

"Now why would I do that?" he asked.

"Because our friends are out in the jungle right now holding a gun at your head, and his head. So I'm gonna forget about the misunderstanding. Just put the guns down," Jack instructed.

"Come on, how stupid do you think I-" he stated, as gunshots fire pass their head, Sayid, Juliet and Mac come out of the jungle.

"I dunno, Miles, how stupid are ya?" Jack asked.

"We were worried when you didn't get back so we went out to the cockpit and tracked you from there," Juliet told them.

"Thanks for that, for what it's worth," Jack told him.

"Don't mention it," she responded.

"Someone could have told me that the cavalry were here," Kate informed them.

"I gave you that, wink," Jack told her as Juliet laughed.

Mac handed the bags back to the two men. "There clean," she stated.

"What are your names?" Sayid questioned.

"Er, I'm Daniel Faraday, and this is Miles..." Daniel told them.

"Don't tell him my last name," Miles warned.

"I guess it's just Miles," Daniel informed them.

"What do you do for a living, Daniel?" Sayid questioned.

"I'm a physicist. Well, I guess you could call me a physicist, I don't really like being pigeon-holed into one..." he started to explain.

"Dan, I swear to God, you say one more word, I'm going to break your fingers," Miles warned.

"You're a bit testy aren't you Miles?" Mac asked.

"And what do you do, Miles?" Sayid questioned.

"I collect soil samples," he explained.

"Oh, that's nice. Well, maybe you can help me. You say you're not here on a rescue mission, and the world at large believes us to be dead. But here we are alive and well, and you don't seem remotely surprised to see us," Sayid informed him.

"Oh my God, you guys were on Oceanic Flight 815! Wow! That better?" Miles answered, sarcastically.

"We should try and track your friend," Jack told them, as they started walking, Sayid using the phone.

"I wouldn't mess around with that if I were you," Miles warned.

"It can't hurt to try and call someone else," Sayid told him.

"Oh, it can hurt," he responded as the phone suddenly beeped.

"What'd you do?" Miles asked.

"I didn't do anything," he told him.

"Her signal is coming right toward us," Mac informed them.

"Your friend, Charlotte, she's moving. And she's moving fast," Sayid informed them.

"She's running from something," Jack told them, as they all start to run in her direction and slowing when they near the signal.

"According to this, she's right here," Sayid informed them.

"Charlotte! Charlotte!" Daniel yells as something moved in the bushes.

"Over there, over there," Kate informed them pointing in the direction. Vincent emerged with the transponder attached to him. "Vincent."

"Locke's got her," Jack stated.

_Mac fastened her coat around her. "Mason…what are you doing here?"_

"_I waited for you to contact me after the press conference, but your sister told me that you told me to go home," Mason told her._

"_I did, I mean I appreciate that you were there to welcome me home," Mac told him._

"_I was hoping for more than that," he informed her, taking hold of her arm. "Is this about that Iraqi you were on the plane with?" _

"_Mason, you need to go. I ended our affair, and that's what it was, because we weren't meant to be together. You showing up here, it's inappropriate, actually it's stalking," she told him._

"_I was there for you when your daughters' were murdered," he reminded her._

"_Mason, you need to leave, now," she stated._

"_Why? I thought you'd be glad to have support during this time," he stated, holding her arm._

"_You need to go," she repeated._

"_I think my wife asked you to leave very nicely. If I have to ask you, it won't be so nice," Sayid informed him, coming up to her. "You ok?"_

_Mac nodded, leaning against Sayid. "I just need a few more minutes."_

_Sayid nodded, kissing her. "Let's go," he told Mason._

Mac bent down next to the Pilot, putting her ear near his mouth.

"Is he alive?" Daniel asked.

"I've got a pulse," Jack answered.

"Frank? Frank? Hey, hey. Frank?" Daniel kept repeating, Frank waking up. "You okay?"

"What happened?" Miles questioned.

"We got struck by lightning," he reported.

"Frank, where's Charlotte?" Daniel asked.

"She bailed out just before we went down. I don't know where she is," he answered.

"Where's the chopper?" Miles asked.

"I saw a cow," Frank told them.

"Hey, hey, Lapidus, where's the chopper? Where did it crash?" Miles asked again.

"Crash? The hell kind of pilot do you think I am? I put her down safe and sound, right over there," Frank asked.

Mac, Kate, Jack and Sayid look over the ridge. "I'll go check it out," Sayid told them.

"I'll help carry Naomi's body, anyone want to help?" Kate asked.

"I will," Daniel stated, going w/her.

Mac went down to where Sayid was inspecting the helicopter, Jack following her. "Well?" Jack asked.

"There's some minor damage, but the mechanical systems are intact," Sayid reported.

"So it'll fly then?" Jack asked him.

"Absolutely," Sayid answered.

Mac kissed Sayid. "Wow."

"Can I have the phone now?" Miles questioned.

"Tell you what, I'll give you the phone if you tell me what you people are doing here," Jack responded.

"I'll tell you what we're doing here if you give me the phone," Miles told him. Jack hands him the phone, he immediately dialed it.

"Don't say anything about your sister," Jack warned.

"Hello?" a woman answered.

"Regina, its Miles, I need to talk to Minkowski," Miles told her.

"Minkowski can't come to the phone right now," Regina answered.

"It's important, go get him," Miles told her.

"Miles, he can't come to the phone right now," Regina repeated.

"Alright, have him call me when he can," Miles told her.

"I gotta go," Regina informed him hanging up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing with her?" Miles ask as Daniel and Kate came carrying Naomi's body.

"We're taking her with us," Daniel explained.

"What's the point? That's not Naomi, it's just meat," Mile's told them.

"Miles, we can't just leave her here," Daniel told him.

"Miles is right. We burned up most of the damned fuel flying around that storm. We barely got enough to get back to the freighter; we're not carrying any unnecessary weight. I'll take her on the next run. I promise, Dan," Frank yelled from a distance.

"There's a blanket over there by my backpack, would you get it?" Jack asked Kate.

"Yeah," Kate answered.

Juliet and Mac tend to Frank wounds.

"Look as bad as it feels?" Frank asked.

"How bad does it feel?" Mac questioned.

"What are your names again?" Frank asked.

"Mac Grayson," she told him.

"Mac? Short for something?" he questioned.

"Mackenzie," she answered.

"Juliet," Juliet answered.

"Juliet. Juliet what?" Frank questioned.

"Juliet Burke," she responded.

"Juliet Burke. You weren't on that plane, were you?" Frank asked.

Juliet and Mac exchange glances, neither one of them responding.

"Miles!" Frank yelled.

"Yeah?" Miles answered.

"This is Juliet, and she was not on the plane," Frank told him.

"What? You sure?" Miles asked.

"You know how many times I studied that damn manifest? Believe me there's no Juliet Burke on that plane. She's a native," Frank told him.

"Really... where is he?" Miles yelled at her.

"Hey, easy," Mac told them.

"Back off!" Jack told them.

"Where's who?" Juliet asked.

"You wanna know why we're here? I'll tell you why we're here!" he said taking out a picture of Ben. "We're here for Benjamin Linus, now where is he?" Miles asked.


	36. Chapter 36

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 36**

Mac stood near the helicopter, near Naomi's corpse, and near where Sayid was praying.

"Did Ben ever mention knowing anyone off the island? You're sure of that?" Jack questioned.

"No," Juliet answered.

"Look, this is real simple. Do you know where he is or don't you?" Miles asked.

"What do you want with him?" Jack answered.

"I want to locate him," Miles answered as Sayid got up and walked toward Naomi's corpse.

The people who hired me told me his name's Benjamin Linus, I don't know anything else. They gave me the picture, that's all they told me," Miles explained.

"They told me "find him," and for what they're paying me I don't need to know anything else, do you?"

"Okay, you want Ben. He's with Locke, and your friend—" Jack explained, as Sayid knelt and closed Naomi's eyes, pulling the blanket over her face.

"Charlotte," Miles stated.

"Charlotte. John's got her too. And we know where they're headed," Jack told him.

"Locke's the guy who killed Naomi. Give me back my gun, Shepherd," he told him.

"You want your gun back? I want answers," Jack told him. "You don't trust me, I don't trust you."

"You're supposed to be dead. But am I asking a million questions? No. We both have the same problem, this Locke guy," Miles told them.

"What is there to ask Miles? We were on a plane, it crashed, we survived, and now we'd like to get off this island," Mac told him.

"Even if Locke has your friend, you can't just waltz in there and grab her. They're armed," Kate told him.

"Well how 'bout that? So are we! So why don't we move out?" Miles questioned.

"You're not going anywhere," Sayid told him. He walked up to Frank. "Will that helicopter fly?"

"It's what she does," Frank told him.

"Then you can take me to your ship," Sayid told him.

"Sayid, wait a second," Jack told him.

"We did call these people to get us off this island, didn't we?" Sayid asked. "Well?" Sayid questioned Frank.

"We burned a lot of fuel coming in, it can't carry much weight. I'll take three of you," Frank told him.

"In case you zoned out while you were tweezing your goatee, one of these yahoos took Charlotte prisoner," Miles told him.

"I can bring her back, safely. And if I do, will you take me to the ship?" Sayid questioned.

"Absolutely, you bring Charlotte back safe, and I will take you off this island," Frank told him.

_Mac walked into the hotel room in Washington, undoing her coat. "You've been quiet the whole drive back from the cemetery," Mac told her husband._

_Sayid closed and the locked the door behind him, undoing his coat. "It is nothing against you, I assure you," he informed her kissing her. "You said that you had broken up with this man how long before the crash?"_

"_Right after the girls' were killed. Why?" she questioned. "And I told you it was a mistake, on both of our parts."_

"_It did not look like he thinks it's over," Sayid informed her._

_Mac looked at him. "Sayid, if you're going to doubt me when I tell you that it's over, then we need to go our separate ways right now."_

_Sayid touched her face. "I believe you, but I do not believe Mason believes that it is over."_

"_Well it is and it has been for a long time. The last time I talked with him before the crash was after I decided to forgo a trial for Robert. Jordan and he both tried to talk me out of it. I don't know why he was there when we returned, and I certainly don't know why he showed up to the cemetery or how he even knew I was there," she told him._

_Sayid kissed her. "I believe you," he told her, kissing behind her ear. "I need to go out for a while. Will you be alright?"_

"_Sayid what are you planning on doing?" Mac questioned._

"_I won't be long," he told her, putting his coat back on._

Mac sat with Kate, Jack and Juliet, eating a piece of fruit; she looked up when Sayid approached the group.

"Take a look at this," Sayid told Jack, handing him a picture of Desmond and Penny. "Naomi had it with her. She was looking for Desmond. Whatever their real agenda is, it's clear they're not sharing it. Maybe Desmond can shed some light on this," he told them.

"How long would it take to get to the beach and back?" Jack asked.

"A couple of hours," Juliet answered as Kate looked at Jack.

"You mind?" Jack asked.

"Anything I can do to help," she told him, getting ready to leave.

Jack and Mac stand going after Sayid. "Sayid, so how are we going to do this?" Jack asked, as Sayid paused for them to catch up.

"You're not the best candidate for this kind of mission," Sayid told him.

"And what kind of mission is that?" Jack asked, laughing.

Mac glanced at Sayid before he answered. "I'm going to make Locke release Charlotte. And I'm going to do it without any bloodshed," he responded.

"As opposed to the way I'd do it," Jack stated.

"The last time you encountered him, you put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger," Sayid told him, as Jack huffed apparently offended.

"That isn't exactly diplomatic skills Jack," Mac stated.

"She's right, and you know it Jack," Sayid told him as Mile approached.

"Hey, Jarrah, you think you're going after Charlotte without me?" Miles asked.

"Of course not," Sayid informed him.

"Oh, well good," Miles answered, surprised. "Are you coming to Grayson?"

Mac shook her head. "No, I think I'll wait here."

"Is there anything else?" Sayid questioned, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, give me my gun back," Miles informed him.

"We leave in 10 minutes," Sayid stated, walking away.

Mac followed him. "Ok, so you're letting Miles go with you. What's your plan?"

"My plan?" he asked. "Why do you assume I have a plan?"

"Please Sayid don't try and play that game with me. I'm not arguing with you about accompanying you, so please at least give me the common courtesy of trusting me. You know, this worrying thing is a two way street," Mac informed him.

Sayid smiled, touching her face. "I know. Believe me when I say that I do have a plan and it's to find out what their real agenda is. And, thank you for knowing I did not want you to come with me," he told her kissing her softly. "I noticed you eating, is the morning sickness gone?"

"Not all the way," she answered. "We should get back to the group, six minutes have passed," she informed him walking with him.

Mac handed him his pack, glancing at Kate as she and Jack walked up. "Hey Kate," she greeted.

"Hey, you got room for one more?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah, she gets a gun," Miles stated.

"Gun's a last resort, Kate," Sayid answered, quietly.

"You give Locke that same speech?" Kate asked.

"Hey. Let's move out," Miles told them.

Sayid squeezed Mac's hand as he departed with the others. Mac walked with Jack to the helicopter to grab water.

"How are you feeling?" Jack questioned.

"Ok, thanks," she answered, nodding at Frank who was sitting by the helicopter.

"Hey, this guy Sayid, where's he from?" Frank asked her and Jack.

Jack and Mac turn to face him. "Iraq," Jack answered.

"Iraq? He's just going to go and work everything out? What was he, a diplomat?" Frank asked.

Jack and Mac both share a glance then a laugh. "No. No, he was a torturer," Jack answered, walking away.

Frank looked surprised. "He's kidding right?"

Mac shook her head, taking a sip of water. "No he's not."

_Sayid knocked on the apartment door, double checking the address on the paper. _

_The man sighed opening the door, holding a beer bottle. "What do you want?"_

"_We need to have a talk, Mason," Sayid told him, pushing his way in, closing it behind him._

"_I didn't invite you in, you're trespassing," Mason told him._

"_Considering that you are stalking my wife, I wouldn't consider this as trespassing as much as a friendly warning," Sayid told him, pushing him against the wall. "If I ever see you anywhere near her again, it will be the last thing you ever do. Do you understand?"_

_Mason took a breath. "I wasn't stalking her; we were in a relationship before the crash."_

"_A relationship that ended two years prior to the crash, isn't that right?" Sayid asked the man._

"_Yes, but I didn't want it to end, she was the one that ended it. It was because of the trauma of her daughters' murders, she felt guilty and responsible. I thought after surviving a crash," he started to explain._

"_What that she would run into your arms when she saw you again?" Sayid questioned. "It's over, it's been over. She told me about her daughters, there death, her time in the Army, her abusive marriage. But she did not mention you once that should tell you something. If you were so important to her, then she would have told me," Sayid told him, holding his neck tighter. "I promised on that island, I would protect her from any more pain and heartache, and I take that promise to heart," he told the other man hitting him in the gut. "You are never going to bother her again. Understood?"_

"_Yes," he told him._

"_Good, make sure you don't," Sayid told him, leaving._

Mac looked at Jack. "Jack," she said to get his attention to Juliet coming over the ridge, Desmond right behind her, carrying a rifle.

Desmond stopped seeing the helicopter. "Well…look at that," he said smiling.

Jack handed Desmond the picture. "Naomi was carrying this."

"What's this about?" he asked, no one in particular.

Mac glanced at Daniel and Frank. "We've been trying to find that out ourselves, Des," Mac told him.

Desmond walked up to Frank. "Hey. I'm going to ask you one last time. Why was Naomi carrying this picture of me?"

"Look, man, you gotta understand something. She was senior management. It's not like we hung around the cafeteria together. She stayed on her own," Frank answered.

"Look, Naomi told me you people were hired by her!" he yelled, pointing at Penny in the picture. "So you look me right in the eye and tell me you've never seen or heard of Penelope Widmore."

Mac sees the glances between Frank and Daniel. Frank looked at Desmond. "Sorry."

"Fine, you don't want to tell me the truth; I'll find someone who will. See when that takes off," he told him, pointing to the helicopter. "I'm on it."

"He's back," Juliet told them seeing Sayid come over the ridge. She stood up followed by Mac and Jack. Charlotte appearing behind him.

Mac hugged Sayid, kissing his cheek.

"Where's Kate?" Jack asked.

"She decided to stay," Sayid answered, kissing Mac.

"What happened to Miles?" Frank questioned.

"I traded him," Sayid simply answered.

"Traded him?" Frank asked.

"I promised you Charlotte, here she is," he responded.

"You cheated," Frank told him.

"Did I?" Sayid challenged.

"Yes, you did. Lucky for you that guy's nothing but a pain in my ass," Frank told him.

Daniel approached Charlotte, putting an arm around her.

"Hey," Charlotte greeted him.

"You all right?" Daniel questioned.

"Yeah," she answered.

"All right, that gives us room for one more. Charlotte?" Frank asked.

"Go back? With all the fun I'm having here? No, I've got work to do," Charlotte replayed, chuckeling.

"Seat's yours if you want it, Daniel," Frank offered.

"I... no, thank you. I think I should probably just stay with Charlotte," Daniel answered.

"All right," Frank responded.

"Hey, Frank. Frank?" Daniel called quietly. "Just one thing. Just be sure that you follow the same exact bearing that we came in on, no matter what. By that, I mean no matter what. Just — just stay on it."

"Roger that," he answered, as Jack picked up a rifle and handed it to Sayid.

"Be careful," Jack warned.

"I don't have to talk you out of coming?" Sayid questioned.

"As much as I like helicopter rides, I think you got this one under control," Jack informed him.

Juliet came over. "Why don't you take Mac along with you?"

Mac glanced at her. "You sure it's ok?"

Juliet nodded. "Shouldn't be a problem."

"We've got our one more," Sayid told Frank. "Wish us luck," Sayid told Jack.

"Good luck. Send me a postcard," Jack told him.

_Mac glanced up as Sayid came through the hotel room door. "You care to tell me where you were?"_

"_Taking care of something," he acknowledged._

"_Sayid," Mac responded in her warning tone._

"_I paid a visit to Mason, he shouldn't be a bother anymore," he reported._

"_You went to Mason's?" Mac questioned, standing up. _

_Sayid nodded. "I made it perfectly clear he needs to stay away from you," he told her, kissing her._

_Mac nodded. "I love you."_

"_As do I," he answered._


	37. Chapter 37

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 37**

Frank looked at the piece of paper with a compass bearing on it.

"What's that?" Sayid questioned.

"Cheat sheet Faraday drew for me," he responded.

"You don't know where your boat is?" Sayid questioned, giving Mac a glance.

"I know where it is," Frank answered, agitated, as the helicopter began flying into a thunderhead.

"Why are you flying directly into the thunderhead?" Sayid questioned.

"Why don't you just sit back and let me do my job, huh?" Frank asked.

"Hey easy Frank, we've got our lives in your hands. We just want to make sure everything's ok. Last time we were on a plane, it crashed," she pointed out.

"Point taken," Frank answered.

"Is that Penelope?" Sayid asked Desmond, who simply nodded. "She told Charlie she didn't know about this boat, correct?"

"Aye," he answered.

"What do you expect to find when you get there?" he questioned the other man.

"Answers," he responded as the helicopter experienced turbulence and lightning hit it.

"Damn it!" Frank exclaimed, as he struggled to keep the helicopter steady. "Hold on!" he told them. "We're almost through it. I see daylight!"

"Desmond!" Mac exclaimed as he tried to undo his seatbelt.

"What are you doing? Desmond! Are you alright?" Sayid yelled at him.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Desmond questioned.

Mac glanced at Sayid. "Hey, Desmond we're friends. Let me check your head, you might have hit it and became disoriented."

"How do you know my name?" Desmond asked again, trying to get away from them.

"We're at two thousand feet, sit down!" Sayid told Frank as he grabbed Desmond holding him down.

"What am I doing here?" Desmond screamed.

"What the hell's going on?" Frank questioned.

"Something's wrong with Desmond!" Sayid answered.

"There's no visual head injury," Mac quickly reported.

"How do you know my name?" Desmond asked again.

"Hold him there, Sayid!" Frank told the other man.

"I'm trying!" Sayid screamed back.

"Let go of me!" Desmond yelled.

"Keep him away from the stick! We'll be there in two minutes!" Frank yelled.

Mac held on to the seat as the helicopter veered down, and came close to the freighter. Sayid lets Desmond go, Desmond notices the photo clenched in his hand. The helicopter lands, as two guys run over, Sayid arms himself.

"What are you doing back?" one of the men asked.

"Who are they?" another man asked.

"Survivors of 815," Frank answered.

"You shouldn't have brought them here, what the hell were you thinking?" the first man asked.

"Alright, where am I?" Desmond asked.

"Desmond, Sayid and I are your friends, just take it easy ok?" Mac told him.

"Where am I?" Desmond repeated.

"Alright, just take it easy," the first man told him.

"My friend is disoriented!" Sayid yelled

"I'm not your friend! I don't know you! I don't know you!" Desmond yelled. Mac stood taking a breath.

"When did he start doing this?" a man asked.

"He was fine when we took off. When we hit some weather... Hey, Faraday told me as long as I stayed on the vector," Frank started to explain but was motioned to be quiet.

The two men took a step toward Desmond, but were blocked by Sayid and Mac.

"What's your name, my friends?" the man asked.

"Sayid," he answered.

"Mac," she replied.

"Okay, Sayid, Mac. Look, we're going to take your buddy down to the sick bay, okay?" the man explained.

"I'm going with you," Sayid answered.

"So am I," Mac answered.

"Let a doctor look at him first, and then you can come down. You got my word on that, okay?" the man answered.

Mac and Sayid share a glance before Sayid nodded and let them at Desmond.

_Mac got out of the cab in front of the courthouse, sighing as she heard her cell ring. "Hello Sayid," she answered._

"_I tried to call you at the house; Jordan said you had flown to Los Angeles to testify at Kate's trial," Sayid informed her._

"_I left several messages for you in the past couple weeks. I thought perhaps you could use this time to spend with our son. He just started crawling, I thought perhaps you'd want to see that," Mac chided._

"_I do, you know that I miss you and Maq deeply," Sayid answered. "You also know the reason I do it."_

"_You're working for Ben to keep us safe," she answered, shaking her head. "Sayid, I need you here to keep us safe. If anyone is after the Oceanic Six, don't you think they'll come after me, whether or not you're off doing whatever you are?" Mac reasoned._

_Sayid took a breath. "You don't know what I've done."_

"_I don't care what you've done, Sayid. Whatever it is, we can deal with it. But this…you working for Ben, it's not working for me. I never thought I'd say this Sayid, but this is destroying our marriage. You know that don't you?" Mac questioned._

"_Yes," he answered softly._

"_Get on a plane, meet me in Los Angeles, tell Ben it's over," she pleaded._

Mac took a breath, drinking water, looking over the boat with Sayid. "Sayid," she told him as Frank approached.

"What's happening to Desmond? Your friends know what's wrong with him," Sayid told Frank.

"Well if they do, they're not sharing it with me," Frank insisted.

"Then perhaps you'll share how we took off at dusk and landed in the middle of the day," Sayid questioned.

"Listen, I don't know what's happening to your buddy, alright? But you gotta trust me when I tell you this, I am trying to help you," he insisted.

"You want to help us? Give me your phone. Let me call our people," Sayid pleaded.

"You give me that weapon and I'll give you this phone," Frank told him as they traded. "Be quick. And don't go trying to call Baghdad; those phones can only call each other," he warned, as Sayid dialed the phone Jack had.

"Hello?" Jack answered. Mac smiled hearing his voice.

"Jack, its Sayid. I'm on the freighter," he informed the other man.

"Are you okay? Is Mac ok? Where the hell have you been?" Jack demanded to know.

"Something happened during the flight, and now Desmond's in their sick bay," he informed them.

"I checked for head wounds, but nothing was visible," Mac reported.

"Hold on, hold on, hold on. Alright, you're on speaker," Jack told them.

"On the helicopter, something happened to Desmond. He doesn't appear to recognize me, Mac or know where he is," Sayid reported.

"Side-effects?" Mac heard Jack say to someone.

"Wait, your friend, Desmond, has he recently been exposed to high levels of radiation or electromagnetism?" Dan asked. When he didn't get a response he continued. "Okay, look. Uh, we don't know why, but going to and coming from the Island, some people can get a little...confused," he explained.

"So, what, is this amnesia?" Juliette asked.

"No, this is not amnesia," he answered.

"So what can we do?" Mac questioned.

"I need to talk to Desmond," Dan answered.

"He's in sickbay right now," Sayid reminded them.

"I can get you in there," Frank told them.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Mac questioned, following them., walking into sick bay with Sayid and Frank.

"What the hell, Frank? You're not supposed to be down here, and definitely not with them," the doctor told them.

"Sorry, doc, but I've got Faraday calling from the Island, and he needs to talk to him," Frank explained.

"No, Faraday's not talking to my patient, now get out of here," the doctor ordered.

"He's not your patient," Sayid informed the doctor slamming him to the wall.

"Hey!" the doctor exclaimed.

"Give Desmond the phone," Sayid repeated, as the doctor sounded an alarm. "Give him the phone now!" Sayid repeated, as he took the phone and Mac closed the door.

"Hello?" Desmond responded hesitantly.

"Desmond! Desmond, my name is Daniel Faraday . We met yesterday before you took off? But I'm guessing you don't remember that. Am I right?" Dan questioned.

"Took off? What?" Desmond answered, confused.

"Desmond, we don't have long to talk so I need you to tell me what year you think it is," Dan told him.

"What do you mean, what year do I think it — it's 1996!" Desmond exclaimed.

"Alright, Desmond, Desmond look, you gotta tell me... where are you?" Dan told him.

"Um...um...I'm in some kind of sick bay..." Desmond started to explain.

"No, no, no, no. Not right now, Desmond. Where are you supposed to be? Where are you in 1996?" Dan reiterated.

"Uh, Camp Millar, it's a... Royal Scots Regiment, it's just north of Glasgow," Desmond informed him.

"Should have known he was military," Mac told Sayid.

"Dan. You might wanna," Jack started to interrupt.

"No, no, no. I'm thinking, I'm thinking. Desmond, listen. When it happens again, Desmond, I need you to get on a train. Get on a train and go to Oxford. Oxford University. Queens College Physics Department. Alright?" Dan told him.

"What, why?" Desmond asked.

"Because I need you to find me," Dan informed him.


	38. Chapter 38

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 38**

Mac watched as one of the guys take the phone from Desmond.

"Hey look! Hey, come on! Everybody relax, listen! Look! Daniel wanted to talk to the guy so we brought him the phone, that's all," Frank told them.

"You let Faraday talk to him?" the other man asked.

"He said he could help!" Frank insisted.

"Faraday can't even help himself!" Ray told them.

"Outside now, the captain wants to talk to you," Omar told Frank.

"And I want to talk to your captain," Sayid told them.

"I'll be sure to let him know. In the meantime, have a seat," the man told Sayid as they leave, locking the door behind him.

"I need to get back," Desmond told them.

"Back where? The island?" Mac questioned.

"He said he could help me, said he could tell me what I needed to do," Desmond informed them.

"Desmond, Desmond, can you please explain to me," he started to ask before the other patient interrupted.

"Desmond? You're Desmond?" the man asked.

"Do I know you?" Desmond asked.

"I'm George Minkowski. I'm the communications officer, before they strapped me down here, all the calls to and from this boat came through me, in the radio room. And every so often, I'd get this flashing light on my console, an incoming call. We were under strict orders never to answer it," he explained.

"So? What's that got to do with me?" Desmond questioned.

"Those calls came from your girlfriend. Penelope Widmore," the man answered.

Mac walked over to Desmond, looking at Minkowski. "How does this happen?"

"No one knows for sure," he answered her.

"Hey, hey, you okay?" Sayid asked noticing him coming around.

"You look a lot older now, huh? Welcome back, Desmond," the other man greeted.

"I need to call Penny," Desmond informed them.

"Calling your girlfriend is not our priority," Sayid told him.

"Sayid," Mac warned.

"Listen, brother, I don't know you. But you seem to know me, so...so if you and I are friends, then I need your help. I need to call Penny, now," he insisted.

"Does this have something to do with what Dan is telling you in the past?" Mac questioned.

Desmond nodded. "He says I need a constant, Penny's my constant."

"Whoa! You boys are getting way ahead of yourselves. Two days ago, someone sabotaged all the equipment. We lost all communication with the mainland. I probably could have fixed it, but then...then I went nuts," the other man explained.

"Where's the radio room?" Sayid questioned.

"It's one deck up, I'll take you there. Come on," he offered as they unstrapped him.

"And how do we get out of here?" Sayid questioned.

"Through the door," he told them, opening the door. "Looks like you guys have a, a friend on this boat," he informed them.

"I'm not getting a good feeling about this," Mac whispered to Sayid.

Sayid nodded. "Let me know if it gets worse," he told her.

"Hey, uh...your nose, brother," Desmond told the other man whose nose was bleeding.

"It's clear. Let's go," Sayid told them, Mac noticing Desmond went out of it again.

_Mac waited in the hallway of the courtroom, taking a breath, looking at her phone again. She looked up as Jack walked out. "Jack," she greeted standing up._

_Jack hugged her. "The lawyer mentioned he had asked you to come as a character witness. Where's Sayid?"_

_Mac sighed. "Can we leave that discussion for another time?" _

_Jack looked at her. "What's going on?"_

"_Jack I really don't want to talk about it here," Mac told him. "We can go somewhere after this, to dinner or something, and maybe, only maybe, I'll fill you in. But right now, I can't have this discussion with you and do any good for Kate."_

_Jack nodded. "OK, but I'm holding you up on that dinner," he told her._

"_That's fine," she answered, with a smile. "How is it going in there?" _

"_Ok, I think," he told her._

"Desmond. I know...it's getting harder. It starts happening faster too," Minkowski told him as he came out of it.

"Come on, let's move," Sayid told them.

"Hey, how did this happen to you?" Desmond questioned.

"We were anchored here, waiting for our orders, bored out of our minds. Me and Brandon — he's one of the crew members we took off the ship's tender. We just wanted to see the island. But Brandon started acting crazy...so we had to turn around," Minkowski told them.

"Where is he?"

"In a body bag," he answered.

Mac arched an eye brow walking over wires in the communication center.

"There," Minkowski informed them, pointing.

"Who did this?" Sayid asked.

"You got me. But when the captain finds out, I feel sorry," he started to say before he passed out; Desmond cradled him in his arms.

"After your call, someone has to tell me precisely what is going on," Sayid told him.

"Can you fix it, brother?" Desmond asked him.

"I need a minute. Do you have the number to make the call?" Sayid questioned him.

"I'll look around for tools," Mac offered.

Minkowski seized in Desmond's arms. "Wake up, wake up, you've got to come back! You've got to come back."

"Desmond! Do you know the number?" Sayid repeated, as Mac handed him tools.

"No," Desmond answered.

"Well, you better remember it," Sayid told him.

Desmond noticed a calendar on the wall. "It's 2004..."

"I didn't realize it was almost Christmas. It's been..." he stopped, seeing Desmond's nose bleeding. "Desmond."

"I...can't...get...back!" Minkowski yelled before he died.

"What happened to him?" Sayid asked.

"The same thing that is going to happen to me," Desmond answered.

"Don't give up on us, Des, we're doing what we can," Mac answered.

_Mac walked into the court room, up to the witness stand. _

"_Please raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" the bailiff questioned._

"_I do," Mac answered._

"_Can you please state your name for the court?" the lawyer questioned. _

"_Mackenzie Jarrah," she answered._

"_When you met the defendant, you weren't married correct? Could you state the name that the defendant and all of us who read the papers are familiar with?" the lawyer asked._

"_Grayson," she corrected herself._

"_Could you please tell me how you met Miss. Austen?" the lawyer questioned._

"_We were passengers on Oceanic Flight 815 heading from Australia to Los Angeles that crashed in the South Pacific," she answered._

"_Were you aware that Ms. Austen was a fugitive being transported by a United States marshal on that flight to Los Angeles for trial?" he asked._

"_I eventually learned about it, yes. She told me herself," Mac answered._

"_Did you ask if she was guilty?" the lawyer questioned._

_Mac shook her head. "I didn't need to. I was a Major in the United States Army for over 15 years. I was in charge of military intelligence; I'm a pretty good judge of character. And I believed, as I do now, that Kate is innocent."_

"_Did you ever have any doubt of her innocence?" he asked._

"_No, not at all," she answered. "There were only 8 of us that survived the crash, I had a big gash on my head, and Kate helped me. Guilty people usually don't do things to help others," Mac responded._

"_No further questions," he answered sitting down._

_The judge looked at the prosecution. "Your witness, Miss Dunbrook," he said._

_The prosecution walked toward the witness stand. "You were no longer in the military when you met Miss Austen were you, Miss Grayson?"_

"_No, I wasn't," she answered._

"_You had retired due to a personal tragedy, and had spent two years roaming the country, isn't that true?" the other woman questioned._

"_Yes, that's true," Mac replied._

"_Would you say you're judgment was clear at the time of the crash? Are you not married to a fellow survivor?" she asked._

"_My judgment was and is perfectly clear. And yes I am married to a fellow survivor," she answered. "We all survived for a reason," Mac answered._

"_Trust_ me," Desmond commented out of the blue.

"I do trust you. But you still have to remember that number," Sayid informed him.

"I think he just joined us from the past again," Mac informed him.

"7946-0893, it's a London number," Desmond told them.

"Excellent timing...the patch is done, but I don't know how long the battery will last. I hope she's there," Sayid told him.

"I hope so too," he stated.

"Hello?" Penny answered.

"Penny?" Desmond responded.

"Desmond?" Penny questioned.

"Penny...Penny, you answered. You answered, Penny," Desmond kept repeating.

"Des, where are you?" Penny asked.

"I'm...I'm, I'm on a boat. Um...I've been on an island, and — Oh my god, Penny. Is that really you?" Desmond questioned.

"Yeah! Yes, it's me!" she responded.

"You believe me? You still care about me?"

"Des, I've been looking for you for the past three years. I know about the island. I've been researching-and then when I spoke to your friend Charlie, that's when I knew you were still alive. That's when I knew I wasn't crazy. Des, are you still there!" she asked franticly.

"Yes, yes, I'm here! I'm still here, can you hear me?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's better."

"I love you, Penny. I've always loved you. I'm so sorry. I love you."

"I love you too," Penny told him.

"I don't know where I am, but—"

"I'll find you, Des—"Penny reassured him.

"—I promise—"Des told her.

"—no matter what—"Penny continued.

"—I'll come back to you— "Des added.

"—I won't give up—"Penny informed him.

"I promise. I love you," both tell each other before they get cut off.

"I'm sorry. The power source went dead, it's all we have," Sayid told him.

"Thank you, Sayid," he told him, shaking his hand. "It was enough," he informed him. Desmond hugged Mac. "Thank you."

"Are you alright now?" both Sayid and Mac ask him.

"Aye. I'm perfect," he answered.


	39. Chapter 39

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 39**

Mac laid on the cot inside the room on the boat, wide awake, her hand going through her tangled brown hair.

"Merry Christmas," Sayid whispered, joining her, kissing her softly.

"Merry Christmas," she answered. "It just seems like yesterday when the plane crashed," Mac explained. "And it certainly doesn't feel like a month since Libby and Ana's death."

Sayid nodded, running his hand through her hair. "You're probably thinking about previous Christmases with the girls."

Mac nodded. "I was but right now thinking about getting off this boat and getting everyone home before next Christmas," she informed him.

Sayid kissed her. "We will, and we'll both learn each others religions to teach this little one."

Mac smiled. "I like the way you think," she answered, quietly. "How's Desmond?"

"He seems to be staying grounded," he reported.

Mac turned her head to the door being opened, sitting up on the cot as the man entered.

"Thought I'd check in on you guys and bring you some food," Lapidus informed them. "How are you feeling by the way?" he questioned Desmond.

"Much better, thanks," Desmond answered.

"Why are we being held captive? We had nothing to do with Minkowski's death," Sayid questioned, speaking calmly.

"This has nothing to do with Minkowski. The captain wasn't very happy that you three decided to bust out of sick bay and into our radio room," Lapidus answered.

"The door was open," Mac insisted.

"She's right, the door was left wide open, we assumed that was you," Sayid answered.

"Why the hell would I do that?" he questioned.

"Did you have any contact with our people on the beach?" Sayid questioned.

"No luck. Something must have happened to the phone," he answered, pouring Lima beans onto the bed.

"Lima beans?" Sayid questioned.

"Sorry, we had a little problem in the kitchen. Just stay put, alright?" he told them.

"We still want to talk to the captain," Sayid informed him.

"No, you don't," he answered.

"Any chance of getting a shower?" Mac asked, pulling at her tangled hair.

"I'll see what I can do," he answered leaving.

_Mac smiled wearing a dark business suit, knocking on Kate's door of her home._

_Kate smiled, opening it. "Mac," she greeted in a hug._

"_Kate," she answered, smiling._

"_Come in," Kate said with a smile. "Aaron's taking a nap."_

_Mac nodded, going in. "I bet he's getting big. I can't believe how big Maquador is, every time I blink he's grown another inch."_

"_Thank you for testifying for me, but you didn't have to. I didn't want you to lie for me," Kate told her, motioning her to sit down on the couch._

"_Kate, we haven't done anything but lie since we came back, so lying on the stand to keep you out of jail, was just another part of the process. Aaron needs you to be here for him, and that means you need to stay out of jail. And, when your lawyer called and asked me to testify, I didn't hesitate, because I knew it was right," she explained._

_Kate smiled, squeezing her hand. "How's Sayid?"_

_Mac sighed. "Did Jack ask you to ask me that?"_

_Kate shook her head. "Jack and I really didn't talk about anything other than Aaron. What's going on?"_

"_Nothing, it's ok, don't worry about it," Mac answered, running her hand through her dark hair that was pulled in a pig tale._

"_It doesn't work that way, and you know it, Mac. What's going on?" Kate questioned sternly._

"_I don't know where to start," she told her, turning and looking at her, letting her dark brown eyes meet Kate._

"_From the beginning," she told her._

Mac sighed, using a fork to grab a lima bean from the can Sayid was holding. "Breakfast of champions," Mac stated, sarcastically. She noticed Desmond waking up. "Good morning, Des."

"Good morning," Sayid also stated.

"Good morning," Desmond greeted.

"Breakfast?" Mac asked, nodding to the can of lima beans.

"I hope they resolve their kitchen issues," Sayid answered frustrated.

Desmond looked at a piece of paper coming through the a vent. "Sayid! Mac! What's that?" he exclaimed, getting there attention.

"It's a note, three days ago, when I was in Locke's camp, Ben claimed he had a spy on this boat," Sayid explained.

Mac gave a sarcastic laugh. "And Ben has been so honest up to this point."

Sayid nodded, unfolding the paper. "Don't trust the Captain," he read.

"So, for some reason someone wants us not to trust the captain," Mac explained.

"The question is do we trust the note?" Desmond asked.

Sayid and Mac glanced at each other. "We'll have to meet the captain first before we decide which to believe," Sayid answered.

Desmond looked up at a banging sound. "How long's that going to go on for, eh? Can't they just fix whatever the bloody hell's causing that?"

"That sound is not mechanical," Sayid responded.

"What, you think somebody's doing that? Somebody's just banging those pipes again and again?" Desmond questioned.

Sayid nodded. "That's exactly what I think."

Mac turned her head as the door opened and the doctor entered.

"Gentlemen, Miss. Grayson, thanks for your patience. The captain would like to see you now," he explained.

Mac looked at Desmond and Sayid, before following him.

_Mac took a sip of the coffee Kate had poured. "So you believe Ben using Sayid for his own plans?" Kate questioned._

"_It wouldn't be the first time Ben's used any of us or tried to for his own reasons," Mac answered._

"_Have you talked with Sayid?" Kate questioned._

"_Until I am blue in the face. I asked him to come join me here when he called, before I testified. I haven't heard back from him then. He's insistent that whatever he's doing, he's doing for his family, to protect us," she explained._

"_He hasn't told you what he's doing for Ben?" she questioned._

"_No, but I can imagine that it has something to do with killing people. We both know what Sayid is capable of when he is doing something to protect those he cares for," Mac told her solemnly. Mac picked up a picture of Aaron. "Do you ever think about those we left behind? Claire?"_

_Kate nodded. "Looking at Aaron, I can't help it."_

"_Do you ever think we're wrong? That we shouldn't have lied?" Mac questioned._

"_We all agreed," Kate reminded her._

"_Just because we all agreed, doesn't mean that it still wasn't wrong," Mac informed her._

Mac walked on the deck with Frank, Desmond and Sayid.

"Where's the helicopter?" Sayid asked.

"Lapidus is running an errand," Frank answered, quickly.

"What kind of errand?" Sayid questioned.

"I'm a doctor. I don't know where he's going," he answered.

"Did he go to the island?" Mac asked.

"You know anywhere else he could land?" Frank responded.

"What's he going to do there?" Sayid asked.

"I said I'm just a doctor," he responded.

"What did Lapidus say?" Sayid questioned again.

"He didn't say anything to me," he insisted.

"Are you saying that he didn't mention anything to you about going to the island and that he took the only way off this boat and didn't tell you?" Mac insisted.

"What is he doing there?" Sayid questioned again, obviously frustrated.

"Hey! Hey!" Desmond exclaimed running where he saw Regina jumping off the side of the boat.

"Help!" Mac yelled going to the side of the boat, noticing no one on the crew doing anything.

"That woman just jumped over the side of the ship!" Desmond exclaimed. "Don't just stand there! What's the matter with you people?"

"What's wrong with you? Get the rope!" Sayid yelled.

"Do something!" Mac screamed.

"Why aren't you doing anything?" Desmond yelled. "Bring a rope!"

"Get a rope!" Mac yelled with Sayid and Desmond.

"Stop!" the captain yelled.

"You're just going to let her drown?" Mac asked unbelievingly.

"She just jumped!" Desmond exclaimed.

"It's over! She's gone! Everybody get back to your posts. That was an order," the captain exclaimed..

The man approached them. "I'm Captain Gault, I suppose you three have a few questions," he stated.

"You just let a woman die!" Mac exclaimed.

Sayid touched her shoulder. "Let's just start with why a woman jumped over the side of your ship, and you did nothing to stop it."

"I didn't jump in, or order my crew to jump in, because I didn't want to lose any more people," Gault told them.

"What exactly is going on here?" Desmond ordered.

"Some of my crew has been dealing with... what might best be described as a heightened case of cabin fever. I think it's got something to do with the close proximity of the island," he explained.

"Why don't you turn around, then?" Sayid questioned.

"I've tried, but we have a saboteur on board, and he's done one hell of a job on my engines. I've got my crew working around the clock to repair them," Gualt explained.

"Whoever sent us the note," Mac whispered to Sayid who nodded.

"And then you'll take our people home?" Sayid questioned.

"Then we move to safer waters... those are my orders," he explained.

"And I don't suppose you'll tell us who gave you those orders?" Sayid asked.

"Sure, I will, Charles Widmore," he stated.

"This is Charles Widmore's boat?" Desmond asked surprised.

"That's right, you know him," Gualt stated. "Come with me," he ordered, leading them to the stateroom, taking a metal box out of a locked cabinet. "Do any of you know what this is?" he asked.

"It's a flight data recorder, otherwise known as a black box," Sayid answered.

"That's exactly what it is. Now here's the funny thing, this black box comes from Oceanic Flight 815. A salvage vessel recovered it from the bottom of the ocean, it took a considerable amount of Mr. Widmore's resources to procure it. It was found with the wreckage of the plane, along with all 324 dead passengers," he told them, turning to Mac and Sayid. "That's not the complete story, as you are well aware, Mr. Jarrah, and Miss Grayson, given the fact that you're both standing here, breathing... the wreckage was obviously staged. Now can you imagine what kind of resources and manpower go into pulling off a feat of that magnitude? Faking the recovery of a plane crash? Putting 324 families through a grieving process based on a lie? But what's even more disturbing... where exactly does one come across 324 dead bodies? And that, Mr. Jarrah, Mr. Hume, Miss Grayson, is just one of the many reasons we want Benjamin Linus," he told them.

"So, why doesn't Widmore want anyone to know that there were survivors? Doesn't that make him as guilty as Linus?" Mac questioned.

"I don't get paid to ask those questions, Miss Grayson," the captain answered.

"Perhaps you should," Mac answered. "Des you know Widmore, why would he want to cover it up?"

"With Widmore, nothing he does ever make sense," Des answered.


	40. Chapter 40

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 40**

Ray came and got Sayid, Mac and Desmond and led them down off the deck to a new room. "So what do you think of the captain?" he asked.

"He was surprisingly forthcoming," Sayid answered.

"Yeah, he tells it like it is. Just don't piss him off. You know what I mean? I think you'll like your room. It's on a quiet part of the ship," he told them.

"This... ship isn't moving," Desmond informed them.

"Well, if you say so," Ray answered, casting a look at him. "Plus there's a shower Miss. Grayson," Ray told her opening the door, as cockroaches scuttle across the ground and a big blood stain on the wall. "That shouldn't still be there... Damn it!"

Mac taking a breath, turning her back to the stain. "I don't know which is worse to my stomach, the cockroaches or the blood stain right now."

"Hey, Johnson. Is that you? Johnson!" Ray yelled at the man who was cleaning the floor.

"Yeah," Johnson answered.

"Mop this up," Ray ordered.

"Sorry, I gotta go up on deck," Johnson explained.

"No, you're going to mop this up!" Ray ordered again

Mac grabbed Sayid's shoulder as Johnson came into view, recognizing Michael.

"Kevin, this is, uh…" Ray started to introduce the three people with him.

"Sayid," Sayid answered, putting his arm around Mac.

"Desmond," Desmond added.

"Mac," Mac told him, her voice barley able to conceal the anger in it.

"Kevin Johnson," Michael told them.

"Nice to meet you Kevin," Sayid informed him, as Michael walked in and cleaned up the blood. "Keep calm," he whispered in Mac's ear.

Mac nodded, not taking her eyes off of Michael as he walked back out past them.

"Are you ok, Miss Grayson?" Ray questioned.

"Fine, I think I'll take that shower now, thanks," she answered, removing herself from Sayid's arm going into the room.

Desmond looked at Sayid as Ray left. "What's going on?"

Sayid closed the door behind them as they walked into the room, going over to Mac where she was standing at the beds. "You ok?"

"No I'm not ok! That SOB killed Ana and Libby, then he betrayed Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley and me to Ben and left the island with Walt," Mac answered.

"Someone want to start from the beginning?" Desmond asked.

Sayid kissed Mac softly, before turning to Desmond. "That was Michael Dawson."

"Michael? The Michael that was on your plane?" Des questioned. "How the hell did he wind up on this freighter."

"Ben," both Sayid and Mac answered in unison.

_Mac watched the tall black kid come out of the library, taking a breath, getting out of the car. "Excuse me are you Walt Lloyd?"_

_Walt turned and looked at her, coming closer. "No one is supposed to call me that. Who are you? You look familiar."_

_Mac smiled softly. "We never officially met, but I was on Oceanic 815, one of the tale survivors."_

"_You were one of the ones that my father…." he started to say, before trailing off._

_Mac nodded, extending her hand. "Mackenzie Grayson Jarrah."_

"_Jarrah? Sayid…." he stated looking at her._

_Mac nodded. "Sayid and I are married, and we have a son."_

"_Congratulations, but I have to ask why you are here? No one has came to see me from the Oceanic Six…I went and saw Hurley. But you are the last one I expected to see, since we never met and…."Walt explained._

"_He told you, then?" Mac questioned, sadness in her voice. "Of course he did, I can see it in your eyes. I won't excuse what your father did, murder is never excusable, Walt, but he loved you, and you were in danger. When a parent thinks a child is in danger, he or she will do anything to protect them, and sometimes it isn't right."_

Mac's brown eyes shot open, her head on Sayid's chest, an alarm blaring, Sayid and her jumping out of the berth, Desmond jumping out of his, all three running to the deck them hearing the captain yell at the crew.

"The rules of desertion... still apply to everyone," he reminded them as he punched a man twice. Nobody leaves this ship without my say-so! I'm not beating these men to scare you! I beat them to save your lives! Do you remember what happened to the last two men who took off in this boat?

You remember what happened to Minkowski? As soon as we get the engines fixed, we're back in the hunt. In the meantime, everybody just hold on. Johnson!" Gault yelled.

"Yes, sir," Mac heard Michael say. Both her and Sayid glared at him.

"Clean this mess up," the captain ordered.

"Yes, sir," he answered, as the crew started moving, and Michael started to go clean it up. The two men who was beat up, being escorted back to there berths.

Mac started walking toward Michael, Sayid grabbed her elbow. "I'll handle it," he whispered to her, walking over to him.

"Hello, Michael," Sayid greeted.

"Not now, man," Michael told him.

"Yes, right now," Sayid informed him as the Captain looked down at the deck. "Why are you on this boat?" Sayid questioned him.

"I'm here to die," Michael told him before he walked away.

Mac looked at Desmond as Sayid walked back to them. "What did he say?" Mac questioned.

Sayid glanced up at where the captain was watching them. "Let's go back to the berth," he told them, taking her arm.

"You think the captain knows something?" Des questioned.

"I don't know but let's not give him any reason to be suspicious," he said opening the door to the berth, letting them in, closing it behind them.

"So what did he say?" Mac demanded.

"That he was here to die," Sayid answered.

"What the hell does that mean?" Mac questioned.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out," Sayid informed her kissing her.

"You aren't thinking about going out there alone are you brother?" Desmond asked. "It isn't safe for any of us to be alone," he pointed out.

"He's right and you know it Sayid," Mac told him.

"You're going to let me handle it," Sayid informed her. "I need you to let me handle it," he implored her kissing her softly. He looked at Desmond. "Mac is pregnant, of course we don't want it to be common knowledge here."

Des grinned, hugging Mac. "Congratulations. So I take it that you told me this so I can make sure she let's you handle this?"

Sayid nodded. "I have a feeling that it's going to take both of us to keep her from killing Michael," he commented, looking out the door.

"Like he doesn't deserve it? He killed Ana and Libby and you might as well say he's responsible for Charlie's death," Mac stated definitively.

"I can see where it may take two of us to hold her back," Desmond agreed with Sayid, as they went out in the hall.

Sayid touched her face. "We're only thinking about you and the baby. Stay here with Desmond," he whispered, kissing her cheek, and going down and stopping a crewman. "The deck hand named Kevin Johnson, where is he?"

The crewman cast a glance down the hall toward Mac and Desmond. "Engine room," he replied.

"Are you sure?" Sayid repeated.

"Yeah," he answered, before he left.

Sayid moved back to Mac and Desmond. "He's in the engine room," he reported, in a lowered voice, as he started walking down the stairs.

Mac listened as Michael's voice drifted up the stairs. "I don't understand, It should be working," he informed someone.

"Gaskets are all corroded," the other man reported back.

Michael looked up as the three walked in to the engine room, looking back down. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"The captain sent us down to help with the repairs," Sayid explained calmly.

"Oh, thanks. We're okay. Hey, Jeff, man, you know what? We need a pressure valve. You mind grabbing one from the, uh, supply room?" he asked.

"Not at all," Jeff replied leaving.

"You shouldn't be here," Michael informed them.

"Neither should you," Mac informed him.

"Mac, we agreed I'd handle this," Sayid reminded her, as he grabbed Michael pushing him against the wall.

"Hey! Uhh! Aah!" Miachael exclaimed.

"Hey Sayid, what are you doing?" Desmond questioned.

"Why are you here?" Sayid told him.

"Listen, if they see me talking to you," Michael told him.

"Then talk quickly!" Sayid ordered.

"You won't understand it!" Michael told him.

"I'll understand perfectly, Michael. You just start from the beginning and explain how you came to be on this boat," Sayid warned him.

"Let me go," Michael told him. "I'll tell you, but let me go."

"You know what I'm capable of Michael," Sayid warned letting him go.

"After we left the island, I left Walt with my mother. It's like Mac said, I couldn't live with what I did," he told them.

"That makes me feel so much better," Mac hissed. "I'm sure it makes Ana and Libby feel better. Oh wait, you shot them," she told him, going closer to him. "Do you see them every night before you close your eyes Michael?" she asked, feeling Desmond grabbing her shoulder.

"Yes! Ok, yes! I couldn't look Walt in the face, I couldn't live with myself. One day Tom found me, after I saw the footage that they discovered our flight at the bottom of the boat. He said that Widmore dug up over 300 bodies and purchased a shell and planted it. He said that if he found the island, he was going to blow it up with everyone on it," he explained.

"Funny, the Captain says Ben did it and doesn't want the island found," Sayid informed him.

"Look, I'm only telling what I was told. Tom said that if I wanted to redeem myself, this was my only way. To come here and blow up this freighter with everyone aboard," Michael explained.

"And that is redemption?" Mac questioned. "An eye for an eye?" Mac questioned.

"Ben contacted me, he told me that I would be redeemed," Michael told them, obviously defeated.

"So you're telling me... that you're working for Benjamin Linus?" Sayid questioned.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's what I'm telling you," Michael answered.

Sayid nodded, as he approached him, grabbing him turning him around and grabbed his arm.

"Hey! Aah!" Michael yelled.

"Guys!" Michael grunted. "Hold it! Uhh! Let me go! What are you doing?" he questioned as Sayid pushed him out the door.

"Shut your mouth!" Sayid hissed, as he pushed him down the hallway and the captain's doorway, Desmond and Mac following him.

"What the hell is this?" Gualt asked.

"This man is not who you think he is. He was a passenger on Oceanic Flight 8-1-5. I spent two months with him on the island before he betrayed us. This is the man who sabotaged your radio room. He destroyed the ship's engine, and his name isn't Kevin Johnson. It's Michael Dawson, and he's a traitor," Sayid informed him.

Gualt approached them. "How did he get off the island?"

"He shot and killed two women, led five people, myself included, into a trap and handed us to Ben Linus. He took a boat with his son aboard, and didn't look back," Mac reported. "Now he's working for him."

"You don't know what you're doing!" Michael yelled.

"Shut up!" the Captain stated, punching him in the stomach. "Go on back to your berth, I'll handle this," he stated.


	41. Chapter 41

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 41**

***I've given Zach and Emma the last name Stark, no reason, just needed a last name. Thanks to my friend Mel for letting me hijack her last name.**

_Mac hit the redial button on her cell phone while she was driving, as she let out a frustrated sigh getting his voice mail, yet again._

"_This is Sayid Jarrah, leave a message," the short message told her._

"_Damn it Sayid! Would you answer your phone? Little man and I miss you," she stated into the phone as she hit the end button on her phone. She glanced up, surprised to see a woman walk in front of her car, as she slammed on her breaks. Mac got out of the car. "I'm sorry! Are you alright?"_

_The woman nodded. "You didn't him me," she assured her, as she looked up._

"_I wasn't paying attention….I could have killed you, I'm sorry…." Mac repeated._

"_You're one of the Oceanic 6.…" the woman stated, recognizing her._

"_Yes…again I'm sorry," Mac informed her, as she started back to her car._

"_My children were on that plane….Zach and Emma Stark. Did you see them?" the woman asked desperately._

_Mac stopped herself from turning around to quick. "No I'm sorry," she answered as the truth tried to escape her mouth._

"_Emma was 9, Zach was 7. They were traveling back from seeing there father, he put them on that plane alone," she explained. "Here, maybe you saw them on the plane? Or boarding?" she insisted, as she thrust a picture of them._

"_I'm sorry," Mac answered as she glanced at the picture as she forced her self not to stare. "I wish I could help you," she answered. "I have to go," Mac answered, getting in the car, and pulled off quickly._

Mac sat on one of the bunks, her knees up to her chest, and her head laying on it. "So basically we have two maniacs, each with their own reasons to want to make the world think we're dead, and a murderer working for one. I don't need my spidey senses to tell me we're in a predicament here gentlemen," she informed them.

Sayid leaned back on the bunks, crossing his arms. "Desmond, what do you think?"

"If Widmore has secrets, he'll go to any length to keep them," Desmond answered.

"Does that include making the whole world think that we're dead?" Mac asked.

"If that's what it takes, yes," Desmond solemnly answered.

"That doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence, Desmond," she told him.

"Sorry, you asked the question," he answered.

"We still have to get our people off that island, one way or another," Mac stated. "We have no idea what's going on over there," she reminded them.

Sayid squeezed her shoulder. "We'll get them off the island, we promised them that," he assured her. "Let's go."

Mac stood up. "Where are we going?" she questioned.

"To the deck, we have to make sure to be there when that helicopter gets there," he told her.

_Mac got out of her car, putting her sun glasses on walking across the park, to the park bench. "Hello, Ben."_

_Ben glanced up. "Mackenzie, what can I do for you?" he questioned, going back to his reading._

_Mac took the book out of his hand, closing it. "I think we both know why I'm here Ben."_

"_I never was able to congratulate you personally on the birth of your son, Macquador Luca Jarrah, isn't it?" Ben stated standing up. "Seems Juliet lied when she said that you weren't pregnant on the island."_

_Mac flinched, glaring at him. "Don't ever mention my son's name again Ben or I will kill you. Where is my husband and what the hell do you have him doing?" _

"_Sayid is doing what he's doing to protect his family," Ben told her. "He's doing what a real man does, Mac, protect you and your child against people who want you dead."_

"_I'm supposed to believe that? I'm supposed to believe that you, out of the goodness of your heart, that you're worried about my safety and that of my son's?" she questioned shaking her head in disbelief. "You've never done anything that doesn't benefit you, Ben. How do I know you aren't the one that cut my break lines? I wouldn't put it past you Ben, you'd do anything to get your way!" she screamed throwing the book at him. "Leave me and my family alone," she warned, storming off._

"_Widmore is the one that wants you all dead, to keep the secret of his precious island!" he screamed._

Desmond and Mac followed him up to the deck. "Perfect timing brother," Desmond told him as the helicopter landed.

"Someone's hurt," Mac whispered, taking a breath.

Sayid glanced at the person on the stretcher. "It's not one of our people," he assured her.

"All right, get him on the litter. Careful with him! Get him down over there. Be careful. Okay guys, unload it. Come on. Pick it up, pick it up. Let's go," Keamy ordered.

"What did this to him?" the doctor demanded to know.

"A black pillar of smoke threw him 50 feet in the air... ripped his guts out," he reported.

"What?" Ray asked, as Mac went over to him.

"There's some kind of monster on the island, we're not sure what it is," Mac explained, starting to put pressure on the wound, glancing over as Keamy approached Sayid.

"I need you to tell me exactly how many people are on that island, and where every single one of them is," he demanded.

"And why would I do that?" Sayid answered.

Keamy looked at him for a brief moment, then walked briskly over to Mac and grabbed her putting the gun to her head.

"Keamy! What the hell do you think you're doing, mate?" Gualt yelled.

"Let her go," Sayid warned taking a step toward him.

"Someone gave me up," Keamy informed him.

"What?" the captain asked. "Let her go, Keamy."

"Linus knew who I was. He knew my name, he knew everything about me," Keamy yelled.

"He didn't give you up," Mac told him.

"Then who did?" Keamy screamed at her.

Mac grabbed his arm, flipped him over, on the deck kickedd the gun over to Sayid. "I'm sick and tired of being held at gun point thanks to Michael."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Keamy yelled at her. "And who the hell is Michael?"

"Michael Dawson, or we know him as Kevin Johnson, he gave you up," the captain explained.

"Don't feel bad, you're not the first one he betrayed," Mac informed him, walking back over to Desmond and Sayid.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side brother," Desmond informed her with a grin.

_Mac opened up an eye, hearing something in the kitchen. She got up, reaching up on top of the amour, grabbing the gun, checking it. She held it out in front of her. "Hands up!" she ordered. "Turn around. Slowly."_

_The man did what he was told. "Mac," Sayid greeted._

"_Sayid…" she stated, as she let out the breath she had been holding. She lowered the gun, as he walked over to her and kissed her. "Ben told you I was looking for you?"_

"_Yes, you know I would be in touch when I could," Sayid answered, as he touched her face._

"_That isn't good enough," Mac answered, as she kissed him._

"_Is Macquador alright?" he questioned. "Are you?" _

"_Macquador is fine," she answered. _

"_You didn't answer about you," he pointed out, as he ran his hand over her face._

"_Depends on what you describe as fine," Mac answered. "I almost ran over the mother of Zach and Emma Stark today."_

"_What? Is she alright? Are you?" he questioned, as he kissed her._

"_I had tried to call you, I slammed down the phone, I was distracted. I slammed on my breaks, physically we were both fine. She recognized me, from TV or from newspaper, the coverage of the Oceanic 6. She was desperate to know if I caught a glimpse of them, at the airport or on the plane. I couldn't look her in the face," Mac answered, tears in her eyes._

_Sayid kissed her. "What did you tell her?"_

"_I lied, I looked at the picture of them, and I lied," she answered. "Isn't that what we agreed on?" she questioned as she freed herself from his grasp. "We agreed to lie, no matter how much pain it caused those who were left behind? Why don't you go upstairs, check on your son, and imagine him having been on the plane. I don't have to imagine the pain that woman is going through, Sayid, I've lived it. But, I had bodies to bury, I could grieve!"_

_Sayid grabbed her. "Mac we're lying to protect them! You know that."_

"_We gave that woman hope, by coming home Sayid. She is hoping that somehow her children survived, which we both know they did," she answered. "I'll be upstairs."_

Desmond looked at the stretcher as the injured man was taken away. "The injured man... there was no gunshot. What do you think happened to him?"

"I don't know. But when they get back, they'll be certain it doesn't happen again," Sayid answered.

"Didn't you two hear Keamy say a big black thing of smoke lifted him off the ground?" Mac questioned. "It was obviously that thing we kept hearing."

The captain walked on the deck. "Omar! Keamy wants you in the armory," he ordered.

"He said I wasn't supposed to let those two out of my sight," Omar answered.

"I'll watch them, go," the captain ordered. "There's a pantry below our galley with enough room for three people. I've left you a supply of food and water, you need to go there," he warned.

"Michael-is he dead?" Sayid asked.

"No, but not for lack of bloody trying, which is precisely why you three need to be hiding before Keamy comes back on this deck," Keamy informed them.

"Hiding is pointless. Give us your Zodiac raft so we can start ferrying people back here from the beach. The only way to save our lives is to get our people off that Island," Sayid told him.

"Meet me behind the container in ten minutes, the boat will be in the water," Gualt told them.

Mac nodded. "I'll get food, we'll need some," she told them, leaving.

Mac threw the bag over her shoulder, getting ready to get on the Zodiac. "Stay on a heading of exactly 3-0-5. Faraday says that's the only safe way to and from the boat," Gault told them.

"What will you tell Keamy if he notices the Zodiac is missing?" Sayid questioned.

"I'll tell him you stole it, now go," Gault ordered.

"Desmond," Sayid stated, looking at him.

"I can't go with you," Desmond informed them.

"Why not? You said it yourself that it wasn't safe for us to separate from each other," Mac told him.

"I've been on that island for three years. I'm never setting foot on it again ... not when Penny's coming for me," Desmond told them.

Sayid nodded, as Mac kissed Desmond cheek. "We'll be back with the first group as soon as we can," Sayid told him, helping her in the Zodiac.

"Stay on that bearing, yeah?" Desmond questioned.

"I will," Sayid assured him.

"You need to go now," Gault urged them.


	42. Chapter 42

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 42**

_Mac leaned against the back of the jet's wall, holding Sayid's hand, both of them looking straight forward, as does Hurley, Kate and Sun, baby Aaron sitting in Kate's lap. The engines whirl loudly as Ms. Decker, a representative from Oceanic airlines, step back into the cargo hold._

"_We're coming in for a landing," she advised them "It's a military facility just west of Honolulu. It's completely private. Your-your families are already here. Now there's a lot of press that want to speak to you, but as far as Oceanic is concerned, you don't have to speak to any reporters," she informed them._

_Jack nodded. "We'll talk to them," he answered for the group. _

"_Is that all right with all of you" Ms. Decker asked the group. _

_When the others did not answer Jack spoke again. "It's fine. We all agreed. We just-we just want to get it over with," he stated._

"_Okay. Um, they're referring to you as the "Oceanic Six". That's not the best branding as far as we're concerned, but it's catchy. We'll see you on the ground," she told them as she walked away. _

"_We all know the story. If we get any questions that we don't want to answer, or that we can't answer, let's just keep our mouths shut. It's okay. They'll-they'll think that we're in shock," Jack told them._

"_We are in shock, Jack," Sun told him. _

"_Well... then this should be easy," Jack told the group. _

"_Easy Jack?" Mac questioned, glaring at him. "You know how I feel about this," she reminded him._

_Jack nodded, as Sayid touched her cheek. "Let us handle it," Sayid assured her._

_Mac took a breath as the plane approached the runway, Sayid squeezed her hand as the tires screeched as it touched down. Aaron started fussing in Kate's lap. Jack unbuckled himself as the plane rolls to a halt, the others followed suit, as the cargo bay door opened on the plane, revealing daylight, and a number of figures who step into view. Four Coast Guard men carry a ramp into place. Hurley gets up, and so do everyone else. Mac took a breath standing, steadying herself against Sayid._

"_Are you feeling ok?" Sayid whispered in her ear._

_Mac nodded taking a breath following Hurley and Sun out of the plane. _

"_Mac!" she heard someone call, she turned her head seeing her sister._

"_Go," Sayid whispered, "I'm right behind you."_

_Mac took a breath walking toward her. "Jordan…."she whispered, hugging her._

"_My God, I can't believe you're alive," Jordan told her, as she touched her face. _

"_Mac…." She heard her father say in a wheelchair, Lydia behind him._

"_Dad, I'm so sorry," she told him hugging him, squeezing Lydia's hand. _

"_Shh, it's ok," her father told her._

"_Hello Major," she heard a voice say._

"_Mason, what are you doing here?" she questioned as he went and hugged her._

"_You survived a plane crash, I thought you'd like to see a friendly face or two," he told her, trying to kiss her._

"_Everyone, I'd like you to meet Sayid Jarrah, one of my fellow survivors," she introduced, taking his arm. "Actually, he's more than that." _

_Sayid smiled extending his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you," he told them, as he wrapped his other arm around her waist._

Mac jumped out of the Zodiac helping Sayid pull it to shore.

"Hey over here!" Sayid yelled to get Sun's attention.

"Sayid! Mac! Where's Desmond?" Sun questioned.

"He's fine, he's on the freighter. Listen, I'm going to start taking people back-six at a time. We have to go right now before the helicopter gets back to the boat," Sayid explained.

"Why do we have to go to the boat before the chopper gets back?" Juliet questioned.

"Because the men on that helicopter have every intention of killing us all," Sayid informed them.

Mac looked at Juliet's face as it went dark with worry. "What's wrong Juliet?"

"Jack and Kate just went running after it," she explained.

"Why did they do that?" Mac questioned, seriously.

"Jack thought you two and Desmond was on the helicopter," she informed them.

Sayid sighed, grabbing a rifle. "I'm going after them, I won't be long."

Daniel ran up to Sayid and Mac. "Hey, Sayid, listen, if you want to run off into the jungle after the chopper, you should do that. But in the meantime, we need to get these people off this island," he explained, seriously.

"I won't be long. If I can catch up with Jack and Kate," Sayid informed them.

"I can start ferrying people now. I can get them there safely. By the time you get back, I can have most of these people on our boat," he explained.

Mac looked at Sayid. "Let him do it," she told him softly but firmly.

Sayid nodded. "I trust you know the bearing, you'd better get going," he informed Faraday. "Mac, get back to the boat I'll join you as soon as I can."

Mac shook her head. "I'm going with you, and don't even think about arguing," she stated firmly.

Faraday nodded. "Thank you," he expressed, turning to the group. "All right, first group in the raft, we can fit six."

"Okay, okay, hold on. Sun is pregnant, she should go first," Juliet instructed, turning to Mac. "Mac, you need to get off this island as much as Sun does. Please get on the boat."

"I just came from the boat," Mac reminded her. "Don't worry, I'll get on the next trip, but I'm going with Sayid to get Jack…" she started to explain, seeing Kate as she arrived at the beach.

Sun took her arm. "If you don't go, I don't go," she insisted.

Mac looked at her. "Sun, I'll be on the next trip," she insisted.

Sun shook her head. "We're both pregnant, and we both know what happens to pregnant women on the island. You helped my husband on the other side of the island, and made sure he came back to me. Now, you need to trust Sayid to get Jack and Kate back, but you need to come with me, now," she pleaded.

Mac looked back at Sayid, then at Sun. "Alright, I'll go," she agreed, as she went to kiss Sayid.

"Thank you," he whispered in her ear, kissing her cheek. "I'll be back," he informed her.

"Kate…" Mac exclaimed. "What are you doing with Aaron, where's Claire?" she demanded.

"Sayid? Mac? What are you doing here? Jack thought that you," she started to explain.

"I know what he thought. That's why I'm going after him. How far ahead is he?" Sayid questioned.

"I don't know. He's-he's with Sawyer. I left them about an hour ago. Jack's got a sat phone, and they're headed for the helicopter. I can track them. Look, you are not gonna catch up to them unless I go with you," Kate explained.

"Let's go," Sayid told her.

"Okay, Mac?" Kate questioned. "Get Aaron on the boat ok?" she questioned, handing him to her.

"Where's Claire?" Sun questioned.

Just get Aaron on the boat, okay?" Kate told Mac.

Mac looked at Kate, taking a breath, handing him to Sun. "Kate?"

"It's all right. Just... I'll see you there," Kate told them, as Mac got into the boat. "Just keep him safe!" she yelled.

_Ms. Decker stood in front of the podium at the press conference. "Based on the location of the wreckage, our best estimate of the crash site is…" she paused, as she clicked up a picture, "here. From there, the survivors were carried by the ocean's current to... ," she clicked again and the picture changed. "here-an uninhabited island in the Lesser Sunda Islands known as Membata. As you've all read in your briefing books, on day 103... ," she changed the picture again, "a typhoon washed up the remnants of an Indonesian fishing boat, including basic supplies and a survival raft. On day 108, the remaining six survivors, including Ms. Austen's baby which she gave birth to on the island of Membata, used this raft to journey here- " the representative stated again, as she clicked to another picture, " an island called Sumba. They then came ashore near a village called Manukangga. This photo was taken by the local fisherman who found them. Once it was discovered who they were, they were transported to Honolulu by the U.S. Coast Guard. As you can imagine, this has been an extraordinarily trying experience. They have, however, agreed to answer a few questions. So, ladies and gentlemen, the survivors of Oceanic 8-1-5," she stated, as the reporters started shouting at once. "Yes?" Ms. Decker stated, as she pointed to a male reporter._

"_Dr. Shephard! Dr. Shephard! Can you tell us what it was like when the plane hit the ocean? Uh, how you survived?" the reporter questioned, as the cameras snapped pictures. _

"_Um... It-it all happened really fast. I remember the impact. I remember the-the plane filling up with water. A group of us got to the emergency door, and, um... got out before it went down," Jack explained._

"_And those of you who survived-you swam to the island?" the same reporter questioned._

"_No, we had, uh, cushions and we had some life jackets. We were in the water for over a day before the current took us in. By then, there was only nine of us left," he explained._

"_What happened to the other three?" the same reporter questioned loudly._

"_One of them, his name is Boone Carlyle, suffered tremendous internal injuries and died a few days after the crash. A woman, Libby, she didn't make it through the first week. Charlie Pace, he drowned a few weeks before we were able to leave," Jack answered._

"_Her last name was Smith," Mac stated, under her breath._

"_What was that Major Grayson?" another reporter questioned._

_Mac glanced down at Jack, giving him a quick look before turning her attention to the reporter. "LIbby Smith, she was in the tail section with me," Mac explained. "We had a chance to talk before we crashed…." she explained._

"_The two of you were the only ones to get off the plane from the tail section?" the first reporter questioned._

"_Yes," Mac answered._

"_How were you two able to escape?" the female reporter questioned._

_Mac sat quiet for a moment, regretting that she had spoken, taking a breath. _

"_I saw Mac helping Libby, who was bleeding and injured. I ran back to help, and Mac and I were able to get Libby off the plane right before it went down," Sayid answered. _

_Mac shot Sayid a grateful glance. "Like Jack said, it was all a blur."_

"_Over here! Over here, please! Considering the ordeal that you've all been through, you look pretty healthy having been on an island for more than a hundred days," a female reporter screamed._

"_Was that directed at me, Dude?" Hurley questioned, seriously as the reporters laughed. _

"_Well, actually, Mr. Reyes, you were worth more than $150 million at the time of your... death. How does it feel to know you're going to get all that money back?" the same reporter questioned._

"_I don't want it back, any of it. That money was bad luck," Hurley insisted._

_A Korean female reporter asked a question in Korean. "What did she say?" another female reporter questioned._

"_Can somebody translate that?" a new male reporter questioned._

"_She asked if my husband was one of the people who made it off the plane," Sun explained. "The answer is no, he never made it off the plane." _

"_Are you aware of the situation in Iraq, Mr. Jarrah? Do you have any plans to return?" an Arabic reporter questioned._

"_There is nothing for me in Iraq," Sayid answered._

"_Mr Shephard, now that you are home, what are your plans?" the same reporter questioned._

_Jack turned his attention to the reporter. "I hadn't really thought about it, I um… was bringing him home for the funeral when the plane crashed. Even though the body is... - I'd like to put him to rest."_

"_Ms. Austen…" a male reporter shouted, being louder than the others. "What was it like giving birth on the island?"_

"_Scary," she answered._

"_Your son-uh, Aaron? How old is he now?" the same reporter questioned._

_Kate shifted Aaron in her lap. "He's just a little over 5 weeks."_

"_So that would've made you about six months pregnant when the U.S. Marshal service apprehended you in Australia for an outstanding murder warrant. Is that correct?" the same reporter questioned._

"_Uh, I'm afraid Ms. Austen's legal issue is off the table, next question," Ms. Decker interrupted sternly._

"_Mr. Jarrah, given the amazing circumstances surrounding the survival of you six, is it possible there are any other survivors from the crash yet to be discovered?" the first reporter asked. _

"_No, absolutely not," Sayid stated firmly. _

"_Major Grayson, would your army experience being a reason you survived?" a reporter in Army uniform asked._

"_No, it had nothing to do with experience," she answered._

"_I think that's enough questions," Ms. Decker stated as they got up. _

_Jack looked up at Kate as they walked in the back. "You did good."_

"_Jack can I talk to you for a moment?" Mac asked, walking up to him and Kate._

_Jack nodded, as he walked further away from people with her. "You feeling ok?"_

"_This isn't about me Jack," she stated, lowering her voice. "A woman named Libby really? You couldn't even bother remembering her last name was Smith? I think we had a familiar conversation on the island, with Nathan," she hissed. "Just leave me alone Jack," Mac warned, as she walked away._

Daniel pulls the Zodiac up to the freighter. "Hey, hey! Hey, we're back!"

"Where's Sayid?" Desmond questioned.

"He had to go after Jack, you go. They're headed for the chopper," Daniel answered.

Mac looked at Sun and Jin. "There's something I need to tell you," she told them as Sun gasped.

"You okay?" Desmond questioned helping her out of the zodiac.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you," Sun answered taking Aaron back from Mac as Jin helped her out. "What is it Mac?"

"I'm gonna head back for the next group," Daniel informed them as he started the motor.

"Engine's fixed. Tell Hendricks to try it," Michael told them, as he walked into view.

"That's what I needed to tell you," Mac informed them, as Jin and Sun stared in shock.


	43. Chapter 43

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 43**

***author's note: continuation from chapter 42***

_Sayid glanced at Mac as she made a beeline to Jack. He knew that determined look and knew better than to follow her and try to intervene, and knew it wouldn't do any good. He turned as he heard the representative come up behind him._

"_Mr. Jarrah? There's a woman outside, who says she knows you, but wasn't on the list of family members. Her name is a Noor Abed Jaseem," Ms. Decker informed him._

_Sayid looked at Mac then her. "Tell Mac I'll be back in a few minutes," he told her walking outside. "Nadia? Nadia?" he questioned._

_The woman turned and looked at him. "Sayid…." she greeted, touching his face._

"_Nadia, what are you doing here?" he asked, hugging her._

"_I heard that you had been rescued, that you survived, and I knew I had to come. I've missed you," she told him, as she kissed him._

_Sayid took a breath, as he kissed her, took a breath and forced himself to pull away. "I was on the way here to find you, Nadia. I had never stopped thinking about you, or wanting to find you. I was going to search all over Los Angeles for you," he told her._

"_I'm here now," she told him and kissed him._

"_Nadia, stop," he told her._

"_Sayid what is it? What's wrong?" Nadia questioned._

"_I am in love with one of my fellow survivors," he told her, touching her face. "I wasn't sure how I'd feel if I ever saw you again, but I know that my feelings for Mac are real," he told her._

Sun looked at Michael "I don't understand. How'd you get back to New York?" she questioned.

"Uh, Walt and I, uh, uh... we took Ben's boat and we followed his bearing. A couple of days, we came to an island, you know, with people. I sold the boat... we hopped a cargo ferry back to the States. Didn't tell anybody who we were," he answered.

"And now you're working for Ben?" Sun questioned.

"I do not work for Ben. I'm trying to make up for what I did, I'm trying to help you out here," he informed her, as he looked at Jin. "Translate what I said."

"I understand," Jin answered in English. "You believe him?" he asked Mac.

Mac shook her head. "I don't know what to believe," she told them.

"Hey! Michael! I need you now!" Desmond yelled, as Michael turned to follow him as Desmond ran to a room, Mac, Sun and Jin following, and stopped at a room filled with C-4 explosives.

"Oh, my God," Michael exclaimed.

Jin looked at Sun and Mac. "Go back up to the deck, now," he told them.

"Sun go, I'll be right there," Mac told Sun. Go, take Aaron up to the deck," she told her as she went.

"There's enough C-4 here to blow up a bloody aircraft carrier. When I was in the army... I did six months' explosive ordnance disposal, which, as the saying goes, is just enough time to learn how to blow yourself up," Desmond informed them.

"Is it on a timer? And why hasn't it gone off yet?" Michael stated.

Mac bent down, examining it. "It's a radio receiver," she told the men.

"This is a— radio receiver. It's... it's like a walkie-talkie. You send it a signal, and, uh... it-it triggers a bomb remotely," Desmond agreed. "You worked with C -4?"

"About six months, also," she answered. "So we've got enough experience to blow ourselves twice."

"So can we... turn off?" Jin questioned.

Mac and Desmond exchanged glances as Desmond exhaled. "This is a... this is a trip wire. Move it, and... boom. This is dummy wiring. If you cut the wrong one... boom. This is multiple firing systems. You disable one, and the next one... boom. Uh, this... battery's the power source. If you disconnect it—" Desmond told them.

"Boom," Jin stated.

"Boom," Mac agreed.

_Mac walked out of the bathroom of the hanger, and searched for Sayid. "Excuse me, Ms. Decker have you seen Sayid?"_

_The Oceanic representative looked up and smiled. "He had a visitor that wasn't on the family list," she informed her as she looked at her notes, "_a _Noor Abed Jaseem."_

"_Nadia…" Mac whispered. _

"_Are you alright?" Ms. Decker questioned, concerned in her voice._

_Mac nodded. "Yes, thank you," she told the other woman._

"_He said he'd be right back," Ms. Decker told her._

_Mac nodded. "Thank you," she stated again, taking a breath going to the front of the hanger, taking a breath before opening the door. She stopped seeing Sayid touching Nadia's face. "Sayid…." Mac exclaimed, turning to go back inside._

"_Mac, wait!" Sayid called after her. "Nadia, I'm sorry," he told her, as he turned and ran after Mac. He grabbed her arm to stop her. "Mac, wait, look at me."_

_Mac stopped, and turned and glared at him, as she wiped her eyes. "Don't try to tell me that I didn't see what I saw, Sayid, because I know what I saw. And, I'm ok with you still having feelings for Nadia, but please don't drag this out."_

_Sayid kissed her, pulling her closer, as some photographers snap pictures._

"_Sayid…what are you doing?" Mac whispered._

"_Letting the world know what I know, that I love you, that you are the best thing that ever happened to me. What you saw out there was me saying goodbye to my past," he told her, as he caressed her face._

Mac looked at Michael. "That isn't what I think it is."

"What is it?" Desmond asked, looking between the two of them.

"Liquid Nitrogen," Michael answered.

"He's going to freeze it," Mac stated, crossing her arms.

"You're going to what?" Desmond questioned.

"Freeze it, this is liquid nitrogen. We use it in the refrigeration hold. The bomb needs a charge from the battery to detonate, right? And the battery runs on a-a chemical reaction. I spray the battery, I can keep it cold, no reaction," Michael explained.

Desmond looked at Mac. "There's a catch isn't there? And what's the catch?"

"The catch is we only have one canister. We use it up, we're right back where we started," Michael explained.

"Well, shouldn't we save it till the light turns red?" Desmond questioned.

Mac shook her head. "It'll already be to late if we wait," she explained.

"If we see that light turn red and the battery's not already cold, that is the last thing we will ever see. Either way, at least we'll have a warning, buy ourselves some time," Michael informed them.

"All right, um, freeze the battery. Jin, help me trace back these wires, make a list of where each of them goes to," he instructed them.

Jin looked at Mac. "You go up with Sun."

Mac shook her head. "I'll stay and help."

Jin shook his head. "We got it," he insisted.

Michael looked up at them. "Is there something going on I don't know about?"

Jin looked at Mac. "She's pregnant, she doesn't need to be down here."

Michael looked at her. "Congratulations, Sayid's? he questioned.

Mac nodded "Yes."

"You need to get on deck with Sun. Please," Jin said.

"Come on I'll go up with you," Desmond told her, holding onto her arm. "There's nothing else we can do," he informed her.

Mac looked up seeing the helicopter. "They can't land!"

"Oh, bloody hell. Don't land! You can't land! Don't land! Don't land! There's a bomb! There's a bomb! Get away! There's a bomb! You can't land! Go back!" Desmond yelled.

"Go back!" Mac screamed.

"Don't land!" Desmond repeated.

"Damn it, turn around!" Mac screamed, as they landed.

"No! Don't land! No! No! Look, you don't understand! Jin and Michael are doing everything they can, but there's no time! You've gotta get off the boat now!" Desmond repeated, banging on the side of the helicopters door.

"How long till we can fly again?" Jack questioned.

"Somebody patch the other hole where the bullet came out!" Lapidus screamed.

"Give it to me, I'll do it," Desmond stated.

"Here! Somebody pump some gas!" Lapidus screamed.

"I'll handle the fuel," Jack told them.

"Get that life raft right there! Come on! Let's go!" the pilot screamed, as Aaron cried.

"I got it!" Mac answered loudly as Sun turned to go off the deck.

"Hey, Sun! Sun! Where you going? We have to go," Kate exclaimed.

Sayid grabbed the other end of the raft and started pulling the life raft up.

"Jin's below with Michael. I can't-" Sun started to explain.

"No, no, there's no time! There's no time. We have to go," Kate informed her.

"I won't leave him!" Sun yelled.

"Okay. You get the baby on the chopper. I'll get Jin. All right?" Kate questioned.

"Just keep pumping till I get it started! That'll be enough to get us to the island," Frank explained.

"Hey! Not yet!" Jack told him.

"Your buddy said we got five minutes as of three minutes ago. If you're going, this is it. Let's go!" Frank told the group.

"Kate! Come on!" Mac yelled at her.

"Jin's still inside! Jin's still inside. We can't leave him behind," Kate told them.

"Come on. Listen, I'm not leaving without you. We gotta get out of here now," Jack told them.

" Let's go!" Frank yelled at them, as Aaron continued to cry.

"Give me a minute! No! Wait!" Desmond told them.

"Where's Jin?" Sun questioned, as Jin made it to the deck. "It's Jin! No! Jin! Jin! Jin! We have to go back! Turn around!"

"We can't do it!" Frank told them.

"We have to! We need to go back!" Sun yelled.


	44. Chapter 44

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 44**

_._

Sun went to the edge of the helicopter. "Go back lower! We have to go find Jin!" she screamed.

"Sun, there's nobody down there!" Jack yelled.

"You can't see anything from here!" Sun screamed back.

"We didn't get enough fuel! We can't go back!" Frank yelled back.

"Go lower! I know he's there!" she screamed.

"Sun, I'm-Sun, I'm so sorry. He's not-" Sayid started to explain.

"He's down there! I know he's down there!" Sun yelled at him.

"We gotta go!" Lapidius told them.

"No! I'm not leaving him!" Sun screamed.

"We can't get to him!" Mac screamed at her.

"No, we're not leaving him! We're not! Turn back around!" Sun begged.

"Sun! Sun! It's gone! He's gone.," Jack explained.

Kate soothes Aaron as he wailed. "Shh. Shh."

"Lapidus! Fly us back to the island," Jack ordered.

"You got it," Frank answered.

"No!" Sun wailed.

Mac put her hand over eyes as a bright light appeared in the sky.

"What was that?" Desmond questioned.

"Did you see that?" Mac questioned pointing to where the island was replaced by water.

"Where's the island? Where's the island? Where the hell's the island?" Frank ordered.

"It's gone," Hurley solemnly said.

"Where the hell am I going to land this thing?" Frank screamed.

"There's another smaller island close by they took us to!" Jack yelled.

"I got news for ya, Doc. There's nothing but water in every direction!" Frank explained, as the helicopter engine sputtered and the alarm beeped. "Doesn't matter now. That's it, people! We're out of fuel!" he yelled, as the beeping continued, and the wind began to blow loudly. "Get your life vests on! We're going in! Brace yourselves!" he instructed.

"Desmond! The life raft!" Sayid instructed, as he released the life vest.

"Hold on!" Lapidius yelled as the chopper crashed into the ocean and flipped over.

Mac pushed herself up from out of the water. "Sayid!" she screamed.

"Right here, are you ok?" he asked, helping to her to the raft.

Mac nodded. "Where's Jack?"

"Where's Jack?" Kate repeated.

"Kate! Where is he?" Frank asked him.

"Are you okay?" Sayid questioned Kate.

"Hurley, carry the baby," Kate ordered as Jack makes his way to the surface.

"Sayid, are you all right?" Lapidus questioned.

"Yes!" Sayid answered.

"Where's Sun?" Mac questioned.

"I got her," Sayid yelled as she gasped and grunted.

"Jack!" Lapidus yelled. "Where's Desmond?"

"Get the baby," Kate screamed.

"I got him," Hurley assured her.

"Desmond? Jack! Give me a hand!" Lapidus yelled seeing Desmond in the water.

"Get him to the raft. Get him to the raft. Get him up in the raft. We've gotta get him in the raft," Jack ordered.

"Is he breathing? Oh, my God. Is he breathing?" Hurley asked, as Frank and Jack get him Desmond to the life raft. Mac helped pulled him in, helping him start CPR.

"Oh, my god," Kate whispered.

"Desmond, come on," Mac whispered.

"Oh, come on, Desmond," Jack begged, as he panted. "One, two, three," Jack stated, starting to perform CPR. Desmond opened his eyes and coughed out water.

"Thank God," Mac stated.

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah," Jack exclaimed.

"Yeah," Hurley repeated, as Desmond continued to cough.

"Yeah, you're all right," Jack assured him.

"You're all right, man. You're okay," Hurley told him.

"It's okay. It's okay. We're alive," Jack stated, as he sighed.

Mac leaned into Sayid in the life raft, shivering a little as night descended. "You ok?" he whispered.

"A little sick at my stomach, but otherwise yeah," she answered.

Hurley looked over at Aaron. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine, it's a miracle," Kate answered.

"I can't believe he did it," Hurley stated.

"Who did what?" Kate questioned.

"Locke, he moved the island," Hurley informed them.

"No, he didn't," Jack informed him.

"Oh, really? 'Cause... one minute it was there, and the next it was gone, so... unless we, like, overlooked it, Dude, that's exactly what he did. But... if you've got another explanation, man, I'd love to hear it," Hurley informed him.

Frank sat up straighter, looking out on the horizon.

"Frank what do you see?" Mac asked looking. "A boat!

"God almighty. There's a boat. There's a boat out there! There's a boat out there. Hey! There's a boat! You see it? Hey! Hey! Hey! Over here! Does it see us?" Frank questioned.

"I think it does!" Desmond exclaimed.

"Hey!" Sayid screamed, waving his arms.

"Hey!" Desmond screamed with Frank waving his arms.

"Is it turning? It's turning! Hey! Hey!" Frank yelled.

"We're going to have to lie," Jack whispered.

"What?" Kate questioned.

"What did you say?" Mac repeated.

"We're gonna have to lie," Jack repeated in a normal voice.

"Lie about what?" Sayid questioned.

"Everything, all of it, every moment since we crashed on the island," Jack explained.

"Michael tried that and it didn't work, Jack. The truth always comes out," Mac stated.

"Jack... now I know I'm new to this group and everything, but isn't this the place where everybody starts jumping up and down and hugging each other?" Frank answered.

"Your freighter... those men came to the island to kill us, all of us. You said that our plane was discovered on the bottom of the ocean. Well, someone put it there-someone who wants everyone to think that we're dead. So what do you think's going to happen to us when we tell them that that wasn't our plane? What do you think's going to happen to the people that we left behind?" Jack explained.

"Jack, we can't. We can't pull it off," Kate told him.

"Just let me do the talking," Jack told them.

"Aponta adiante, lá! Lá!" a man yelled as the boat turned which caused the water to lap.

"Uma jangada. Cheio de gente! São oito deles!" the man yelled again as the engine whirled.

.

"Uma jangada com pessoas, Ms. Widmore! Ms. Widmore, venha à proa!" a man told the woman.

"Throw them a rope! Take them 'round to the stern!" Penny ordered.

"Penny? Penny! Penny!" Desmond greeted, as he climbed the side of the boat and greets Penny on the deck, them kissing passionately.

"Are you okay?" Penny questioned.

Desmond chuckled "I'm-I'm fine. I'm fine. H-how did you find me?"

"Your phone call... I have a tracking station," Penny informed him as she sniffled.

"I love you, Penny... and I'll never leave you again," Desmond told her as the both laughed.

The survivors board the boat. "Uh... this is-this is Penny. This is, um, Kate and then Aaron," Desmond introduced.

"Hi," Kate answered.

"Hi," Penny greeted.

"Um... and this is Sun, Sayid, Mac, Hurley, Frank and Jack. Jack this is…this is Penny." Desmond finished making the introductions.

"It's nice to meet you, Penny," Jack told her.

"Hi," Penny greeted.

"But we need to talk," Jack told the group.

Mac sat down beside Sayid on the deck of the Searcher, Penny's boat, looking over at Aaron who Kate is cradling.

"Dude, they'll find out," Hurley told them.

"Not if we stick to the story," Jack told them.

"I don't know, Jack. It could be a risk," Sayid informed him, taking Mac's hand.

"It's the only way. We have to do this," Jack told them.

"Michael lied when he got back to the states, and what did it get him? He wound up coming back and making amends," Mac told him.

Frank hands Desmond a beer sitting down. "They're still at it, huh?"

"Look, we're running out of time. We have to make a decision now. So are we all okay with this?" Jack stated.

Mac looked at him. "I think Hurley and I just stated that we weren't Ok with this Jack."

"This is a decision that will affect the rest of our lives. I'm not taking it lightly," Sayid informed him.

"Kate?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Kate agreed.

"Sun?" Jack questioned.

Sun nodded silently.

"Frank?"

"What?" Frank asked looking up.

"Sorry you got dragged into this, but we need to know that you're with us," Jack stated.

"Whatever you guys decide, I'll just roll with," Frank agreed.

"Hurley, what about you?" Jack questioned.

"I don't think we should lie, dude," Hurley repeated.

"We need to protect the people that we left behind, Hurley," Jack reminded him.

"Jack, I understand that you think that lying is going to protect them, but lying hurts everyone. Doesn't Rose, Bernard, Sawyer, Shannon and everyone else's friends and family need to know that they are alive?" Mac questioned.

"It protects them from Charles Widmore. The guy hired a boatload of people to kill all of us. He faked a plane crash. I mean, you think telling him the truth, he's just gonna-he's gonna leave them alone?" Jack questioned.

Hurley looked at Penny. "Look, he's your dad, right? Can't you just, like... call him off?"

"There's no calling my father off," Penny informed them.

"But he'll never find them. I mean, the Island disappeared. We all saw it. It's gone. Bloop!" Hurley told him.

"You think anyone's gonna believe that... believe any of it? They're gonna think you're crazy," Jack told him.

"Not if someone backs me up. Sayid, come on. They'll think I'm nuts if I tell the truth. But what if we all do? And if we can stick together, we can make 'em believe us. I don't want to spend the rest of my life lying. Do you?" Hurley asked.

Mac sighed. "I don't want to spend my life lying either," she told Jack.

"No. But... I don't believe we have a better choice," Sayid answered, as he looked at Mac. "You with me?"

Mac nodded. "I'm with you."

"Sorry, Hurley, but we have to lie," Sayid told him.

"You know what, dude? I'm going to remember this. And someday, you're gonna need my help, and I'm telling you right now... you're not gettin' it," Hurley told Sayid.

One Week Later:

Mac looked at Sayid, as Jack and Frank put a life raft in the water.

"What's this place called?" Hurley questioned.

"Membata," Sayid answered.

"Membata. Why are we doing this, Dude? Sailing 3,000 miles to another island?"

Hurley asked.

"That's a good question, one I'd like the answer too also," Mac stated, leaning against the side of the boat.

"Because it's the only way to keep them safe," Sayid told them, as he kissed Mac.

"How long till we'll hit land?" Jack questioned.

"Well, if the wind's not too brutal... eight, nine hours," Frank stated, as he dropped the plank. "Just long enough to give you a nice, convincing sunburn."

"Well... it's been a pleasure, Frank. I hope we never see each other again," Jack stated.

Frank laughed. " Roger that, Doc."

"Bye, sweetheart," Penny says to Aaron.

"Are you sure about this, brother?" Desmond asked Jack.

"Are you sure?" Jack repeated the question to Desmond.

"As long as I've got Penny... I'll be fine," Desmond assured him.

"Don't let him find you, Desmond. And I'll see you in another life, brother," Jack told Desmond.

"Aye. I guess you will," Desmond stated.

Jack looked at the group. " All right. Let's go home," he told them.


	45. Chapter 45

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 45**

***Giving Zach and Emma the last name Stark, thanks Mel for letting me hijack your last name****J**

Two Years Ago:

_Mac glanced at the envelope on the seat of her car, taking a breath, picking up her cell phone dialing the number, hearing the familiar voice message. "Sayid, I've got the divorce papers and custody paper's ready. I left a copy in the house in Miami. This is the last thing I want to do, I love you. But, since I can't convince you that working for Ben is tearing us apart, maybe this will. Give me a call….when you're done whatever you're doing for Ben," she told the phone, hanging up as she slammed on the breaks. "Oh God…" she said getting out of the car. "Are you alright?" she asked the woman in the cross walk. "It was all my fault…I wasn't looking," she explained._

"_I'm fine, you didn't even hit me," the woman stated, looking at her. "You look familiar," she told her._

"_I just have one of those faces," she assured her. "Once again, I'm sorry," Mac said going back to her car._

"_You're one of the Oceanic 6!" the woman exclaimed. _

_Mac looked at, nodding. "Yes."_

"_My children were on the plane, Zach and Emma Stark," she told Mac. "My name is Karin Stark, my ex husband put them on the plane, I didn't know they were coming back to LA. Did you see them?" the woman begged._

"_I'm sorry," Mac said, reaching for her door handle._

"_Please, just take a look at the picture. Maybe you saw them at the airport," Karin insisted pushing the picture at her._

_Mac closed her eyes taking a breath. "No I'm sorry, I wish I could help….but I didn't see them," she told her getting in the car speeding away. _

Mac glanced behind her, before entering the hospital room. "Sayid….are you alright?" she asked, coming into the room. "Hello Jack, thank you for calling me."

"Why did you call her Jack? She needs to stay away from me, away from LA, keep our son safe, and definitely needs to stay away from Ben," Sayid told him.

Mac sighed. "Sayid, she is standing right here! You are in no shape to be making decisions for anyone, including yourself!" she yelled at him. "Our son is safe," she informed him.

"Mac's right, Sayid, you were unconscious for 42 hours. You had the equivalent of three doses of horse tranquilizer in your system," Jack told him.

"If you sent that man to Hurley's house, we have to leave now," Sayid insisted.

"What man?" Mac questioned.

"You need to relax. Ben is not going to hurt Hurley, Ben is on our side," Jack told Sayid.

"The only side he's on is his own," Sayid insisted.

"Now you see that?" Mac questioned. "Will someone fill me in? If Hurley is in danger, I can go to him."

"Dr. Shephard? I'm Dr. Ariza, director of clinical services. A word with you, please?" A woman said, entering.

"I'll be right back," Jack told them.

Mac waited until Jack left, closing the door behind him. "Are you ok?"

"Mac, what are you doing here?" he asked, as he looked at her ring. "You're still wearing your wedding band."

Mac smiled, going over and kissing him. "So are you. What's going on? For the first time since we've been back, let me in, trust me."

"I've always trusted you, I have only wanted to protect you. Perhaps I went about it the wrong way," he told her, kissing her. "Our son is safe?"

"Yes," she answered, looking up as the door to the room opened, and a nurse entered.

"How you doing today, sir? Got your meds for you. Ma'am I'm going to have to ask you to leave," the male nurse informed her.

"I'll stay," she told him, glancing at Sayid.

"Sorry, I think you have the wrong room," Sayid told him.

"Nope. Room 133, right? Got the orders right here. But don't worry. I won't have to give you an injection. Put this right in your IV line," the nurse said turning his back, and fires two darts right where Sayid and Mac were, both ducking. Mac put her leg under the nurse tripping him into Sayid, Sayid grabbing the IV, strangling the nurse with it.

"Who are you? Who are you working for?" Sayid yells at him as the nurse grunted. "Okay, talk, talk."

"Address — it's in my pocket," the nurse told him, struggling.

Mac reaches for the dart gun shot two darts into the nurse as Sayid reaches into the nurses pocket. Ben and Jack enter the room.

"Hello, Sayid, Mac," Ben greeted.

"What happened?" Jack demanded.

"Do we know anyone who lives at 42 Panorama Crest?" Sayid questioned, looking at the address.

"That's Kate's address," Jack stated.

_Two Years Ago:_

_Mac knocked on the door, looking around the neighborhood, seeing the light turn on, and the door opening. "Hello Jack."_

"_Mac what are you doing here? What's wrong? Come in," he insisted, taking her arm._

"_You have a beard," she informed him, obviously having had been drinking._

_Jack laughed. "You came all the way to LA to tell me I have a beard? You're drunk," he told her, helping her sit down. "While I fix you coffee, why don't you tell me what you're really doing here? Where's Sayid?"_

_Mac laughed. "You're guess is as good as mine. See my husband is playing 2__nd__ fiddle to Ben, or should I say soon to be ex husband."_

"_Ex husband? He filed for divorce?" Jack questioned, bringing coffee over._

"_No, I did," she told him. "I'm tired of not knowing what Sayid is doing, and telling me he's just trying to protect his family, and working for Ben. I can hardly ever get him to return a phone call," she sighed, laying back in the chair._

"_Mac what's going on? What happened? Why did you show up at my door drunk?" Jack insisted. "Talk to me."_

"_I almost ran over Karin Stark with my car, the mother of Zach and Emma? The children that were in the tale section? She recognized me as one of the Oceanic 6, she begged for any information on her children," Mac told him. "I couldn't look her in the eyes, Jack."_

"_You didn't tell her anything did you?" Jack questioned._

_Mac glared at him. "What the hell was I supposed to tell her Jack? Was I supposed to tell her that they're with some insane people on an island that no one will be able to find? That if I gave her the coordinates she'd just find an ocean. I'd be in the mental hospital right with Hurley. I know that look, the look of complete loss. I've had that look, I've felt that pain Jack."_

"_I know it's hard, Mac, but we have to keep with the plan," Jack told her._

_Mac laughed. "We had a plan Jack? The only thing I remember is that we were supposed to lie, to keep them safe. But it's tearing us apart, all of us. I saw you on TV Jack, playing hero. But it was more than that wasn't it? You and Kate aren't speaking, Hurley's back at the mental institute, Sayid is working for Ben, I filed for divorce from the only man I really ever loved and no one's heard from Jin. So tell me Jack, how is this plan working out for you? Because it looks pretty bad from this side," she told him._

Mac glanced around outside the hospital, waiting for Jack.

"It's good to see the two of you back together, I was always rooting for you," Ben told Sayid and Mac.

Mac glared at Ben. "Shut up, Ben. Jack's coming," she told the other two men.

Jack came down the stairs. "She's not at home, but I'm going to go to her right now," Jack stated.

"Good. I'll go deal with Hugo," Ben told him.

"Sorry, Ben. I'm not letting you get anywhere near him," Sayid told him. "Mac you with me?"

"I've always been with you Sayid," Mac told him, kissing him.

"You have friends in trouble. Let's get them to safety and save the dirty linen for later," Ben informed him as Sayid grabbed the keys out of Ben's hand.

"I'll drive," Sayid told him.

"Jack after you get Kate, meet us at the Long Beach Marina, slip 23. And, Jack — hurry. We're running out of time," Ben told them.

"I'm sorry, but I seem to be out of the loop, does this have anything to do with the man who broke into the house in Miami last week?" Mac questioned.

"Someone broke into the house? Why didn't you call me? Were you hurt?" Sayid questioned.

"I'm sorry to break this reunion up, but we do have to get to Hugo and Jack has to get to Kate," Ben informed them.

Mac and Sayid exchanged glances. "You sit in the back," Mac told Ben getting in the front. "We weren't home, but when I walked in, I knew that it had to do with all of this. I packed up what I could, as quickly as I could, grabbed little man, and started driving."

"Why didn't you call me?" Sayid demanded.

"I got tired of trying to call and not having them returned, Sayid," Mac told him.

Sayid grabbed her hand, kissing it. "I swear it won't happen again, that I'm done being manipulated," he hissed, glancing back at Ben.

"Manipulated? I wouldn't use that word Sayid. You did what you did because you wanted to protect your family, and your friends," Ben reminded him.

"And you just played on his instincts, Ben, on his fears," she told him turning to face him. "Who broke into my house Ben? What were they after?"

"How would I know?" Ben questioned.

"Ben, did you send someone into my house and scare my family?" Sayid questioned.

"No! Believe it or not Sayid, I have done nothing but try to help you, Mac and the others. Your friends on the island need you, and I've done nothing but try to keep the other people from finding and hurting those on the island," Ben told them.

"By using me," Sayid stated.

"Can I ask you something Sayid? Why'd you take it upon yourself to rescue Hugo?" Ben questioned.

"I had to make sure Hurley was safe," Sayid answered.

"You can pull in over here," Ben told Sayid as they pull into a parking garage and a man approached Ben's window.

"Mr. Linus," the man greeted.

"Mr. Norton," Ben told him.

"I looked into it, and they don't have any kind of solid case against Reyes. The M.E. said that the man found outside Santa Rosa was killed before Reyes escaped," Norton informed Ben.

Mac glanced at Sayid.

"That's very good news," Ben told the other man.

"We have a prelim hearing in the morning. The judge will never let it get past that, and Reyes will be a free man," the man told Ben.

"Thank you, Dan," Ben answered, with a small satisfied smile.

"Anytime," Norton responded as he left.

Sayid glanced at Mac. "Who was that?" Sayid questioned.

"That's my lawyer," Ben answered.

"Of course you have a lawyer at your beckon call," Mac stated, sarcastically. "So now what?"

"We go meet Jack and Kate at the pier," Ben informed them.

"Do you have any idea what he's got working in his manipulative little mind?" Mac questioned Sayid.

"Whatever it is, I want no part of it," Sayid answered, solemnly. "I suggest that we walk away, you go get our son and go on with your life. We both need to walk away from whatever he is planning."

Ben cleared his throat. "First of all, I'm right here, so Mackenzie, if you have something to say to me, I'd appreciate you saying it to my face. Second of all, Sayid you are involved, all of you are. Your friends on that island need you."

Mac turned and looked at him. "You want me to tell you what I've got to say? Fine. You're a manipulative son of a bitch, and everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie. You only care about one person, and that's yourself. You let your daughter get shot because you didn't want to turn yourself over to whoever was after you. You needed someone to take care of problems for you off the island, and instead of facing it yourself, you manipulated Sayid into doing it. I don't believe a word that comes out of your mouth, and I wouldn't follow you out of hell. Clear enough for you?" Mac questioned.

"You don't care about your friends?" Ben questioned.

Mac looked back at him. "Why don't you tell us Ben exactly how our friends are in danger?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, not yet," Ben informed them.

"Of course you can't," Sayid answered, pulling over. "We're here," he informed them, parking.

"Kate and Jack are already here," Mac told them, getting out of the car.

Ben got out of the back of the car closing the door. "Hello, Kate," Ben acknowledged.

"It's okay, he's with me," Jack explained, as Sayid and Mac exited the car.

"He's with you?" Kate questioned.

"Hello Kate," Mac greeted.

"I know this is gonna be hard to understand, but he's here to help us. To help everyone that we left behind. We all need to be together again," Jack explained.

"It's him," Kate exclaimed.

"Why did that man have Kate's address in his pocket Jack? You failed to explain it to us," Sayid told him.

"It's him. He's the one who's trying to take Aaron," Kate told Jack.

"Take Aaron? What's going on Jack?" Mac questioned.

"No. No. You-you don't understand," Jack tried to reason with them.

Ben shook his head. "No, Jack. She's right. It was me, sorry," Ben explained.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Why don't you just stay away? Why don't you leave me and my son alone?" Kate yelled at him.

"Because he's not your son, Kate," Ben told him.

Mac turned and looked at him. "Look whose talking Ben! You stole Alex from Danielle and raised her as your daughter. And when she begged for you to save her, you chose your own miserable life over her. You said you weren't her father, so who the hell are you to talk?" Mac asked shaking her head.

Sun approached from a distance, cocking a gun. "Move away, Kate, Mac."

"Sun-" Jack started to say.

"I said, move away!" Sun screamed at him.

"Sun give me the gun," Sayid told her, reaching for it. "You don't want to do this."

Kate looked at Sun. "S-Sun! What are you doing? Where's Aaron?" she demanded.

"He's in the car," Sun assured Kate.

"Sun, listen. I know you think you're helping-" Jack stammered.

Sun glared at Ben. "If it wasn't for you, Jin would still be alive," she accused.

"I didn't kill your husband, Sun," Ben repeated.

"Yes, you did," she hissed.

"No, I didn't, neither did anyone else, because he's not dead," Ben assured her.

"You're lying," Sun stated accusingly.

"No, Sun. Jin's still alive, and I can prove it," he assured her.

"Sun don't believe him, he's done nothing but lie to us since the day we crashed. Jack I don't understand how you can so easily be fooled by him," Mac stated disapprovingly.

Sun glared at him. "I've spent the last 3 years thinking... believing that he was dead. You say you have proof that he's not. I want to see it," she demanded.

"Why don't you put down the gun. No one wants it to go off," Ben informed her.

"You don't want it to go off," Mac murmured to herself.

"How do you know he's alive?" Sun demanded.

"There's someone-someone here in Los Angeles. Let me take you to them, and I'll show you the proof," Ben offered.

"Someone? Who?" Sun questioned impatiently.

"The same person that's going to show us how to get back to the Island," Ben answered.

Kate turned and stared at Jack. "Is that what this is about? You knew about this?"

"No, no, I was…" Jack stammered.

"And that is why you're pretending to care about Aaron, to convince me to go back there?" Kate questioned angrily.

"I wasn't pretending anything…" Jack started to say.

"This is insane, you guys are crazy," Kate responded turning to leave.

"Kate!" Jack yelled.

"Jack, don't!" Kate yelled, storming off.

"Jack leave her alone," Mac warned. "You actually trust him? Him? This is the same man that held you, Kate, Sawyer and I hostage. The same man who was responsible for kidnapping the kids from the tale section? The same person who sent people into our camp to kidnap us. The same person who would have raised Aaron like he did Alex? How the hell have you forgotten all that Jack?" Mac questioned angrily.

Ben looked at Sayid, who started walking away. "Sayid, where are you going?"

The other man turned. "I don't want any part of this. And if I see you" he stated, as he pointed at Jack, "or him again, it will be extremely unpleasant for all of us," he informed them. "Mac?"

Mac nodded, as she joined him. "Oh hell why wait?" she asked, as she turned and punched Ben.

"Mac, stop it! You don't understand!" Jack told her, as he pulled her away.

"Jack let her go," Sayid warned. "Mac let's go," he instructed.

"Don't trust him, Sun," Mac warned walking away. "So now what?" Mac asked Sayid.

"I drop you off to get our son, put you both on a plane to Miami," he instructed.

Mac stopped and looked at him. "That's it?" she exclaimed.

"What else did you expect?" Sayid questioned. "We are divorced, you are the one who filed for it," he reminded her.

Mac grabbed his arm. "You know perfectly well why I filed for divorce Sayid. I was hoping that it would bring you home to me, to our son. I never expected you to sign them, without a word. That was the worst day of my life, and I've had plenty. Our son needs you," Mac reminded him, as she kissed him.

"You don't know what I've done, for Ben. You need to get our son back home. I don't deserve you, either one of you," Sayid stated, kissing her.

"You know what Sayid, why don't you let me decide what we deserve?" Mac stated, pulling away. "I wanted you to fight for us, not to give up on us, remember what we meant to each other. But you didn't do that, you signed the papers sent them to me and 3 weeks later you call to check on us. I never stopped loving you and I know you never stopped loving me. Go do what you have to do, Sayid, but when you're ready, I'll be there. I'll find my own way back to my sisters!" she yelled, walked away.


	46. Chapter 46

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 46- back to the island how I missed you!**

Mac blinked, finding herself on the ground, trying to sit up. "We're back."

"Unfortunately, we're back. Lay down, you're bleeding," Sayid instructed, helping her, his hands handcuffed.

"Where's everyone?" she questioned.

"I don't know," he answered. "We seem to be alone," he answered, as he checked her head.

Mac shook her head. "Sayid there's no reason to be angry, it won't do any good. We're back, we have to find everyone, and we have to get those handcuffs off of you."

Sayid looked at her. "Angry? Why would I be angry Mackenzie? I have spent two years doing what I could to protect the people we left behind, and for you and our son. Ben tells us we have to come back, both of us seemed to agree we wanted no part of it. Imagine how surprised I was to see you at the airport, on a plane that just happened to have every one else on it. I did not have a choice," he explained, holding up his hands. "You did."

"You know what Sayid? I'm tired of you acting like the past two years you've been some martyr," she told him as she sat up. "No one asked you to protect me, to work for Ben. I thought we were in this together. And, if you think I showed up at that airport because of Ben Linus then you didn't know me the way I thought you did."

"You're still bleeding, rip my shirt," he instructed.

"I don't need your help Sayid," she told him, getting up, feeling dizzy.

Sayid grabbed her arm. "Who is the one trying to be a martyr now? Will you stop being so dependant for once and let me help you?" he questioned, as he kissed her softly.

Mac sighed sitting down. "You can't do a lot with the hand cuffs on Sayid," she told him. Mac cast a glance around the island. "Something doesn't feel right."

"It doesn't seem that my guard is around, rip my shirt," he repeated, as he laughed. "We're back on this island, of course it doesn't feel right."

Mac shook her head, tearing his shirt. "Talk about déjà vu, last time we crashed on this island, I wound up with a head wound," she stated, glancing at him. "So, mind telling me how this woman Illana got you into handcuffs?" she asked, holding up her hand before he could answer. "You know what, it's not any of my business, as you remind me every chance you get, we're divorced."

"You remind me that does not mean you do not care for me, so is it not possible that I still have feelings for you?" he questioned her, as he looked around. "Help me tie the cloth around your head, we should not remain in this spot for to long."

Mac took a breath, raising her hand doing it. "Do you think they're still here? The others? I mean with Ben gone and Locke dead."

"If it is not the Others, than it's someone else. Let's go," he instructed helping her up. "If it is not for Ben, than why did you get on that plane?"

Mac looked out into the woods. "I'm going to bring Zach and Emma home to there mother."

Forty Six Hours Earlier:

Mac sighed, coming out of the shower shaking her head, turning in the hotel room hearing a voice. "Sayid?" she questioned anxiously.

"It's not Sayid," the voice told her.

"Libby? No….it can't be Libby because Libby died on the island," she told herself.

"I'm here and talking yourself out of it isn't going to make me disappear. I think you know why we're having this conversation right now," the ghost informed her.

"I'm not going back!" she yelled. "I have absolutely no reason to return to that island. I have my son to raise, obviously alone, but I still have him to raise."

"What about Zach and Emma's mom? Doesn't she need her children back?" Libby's ghost asked. "You know that's why I'm here right now, because you know the pain of losing children. It took you years to even start about moving on with your life, and you know it doesn't get any easier, just a little bit less painful. You led yourself and others to believe that you never had children, it was easier than explaining. So you know the pain that woman is going through, and the pain you are going through by having to lie," Libby reminded her.

Mac sighed. "Have you seen my girls?" she asked quietly.

"We're good friends, you'll see them again," she reassured the other woman. "But right now, two other children need you," Libby reminded her. "You've known from the time you left the island that you weren't meant to return. You have to go back, you all have to go back. Those children need to be returned home."

"That's not my responsibility Libby," she answered. "I have my son to raise."

"What if your girls had just disappeared? What if there was a chance that someone could have saved you the pain? You know as well as I do Mac, that you have always known you needed to bring Emma and Zach home. It's up to you. You are the only one that can," she told her. "Tell Hurley hi," she instructed before seemingly vanishing.

Mac shook her head, as she took a deep breath. "You are loosing it, you just had a talk with a dead woman," she rebuked herself as a knock came on the door. She shook her head. "Now what?" she questioned as she answered. "Hurley. Why am I not surprised."

"She came to see you?" he questioned, coming in.

"Libby? She's been busy," Mac answered.

"No I didn't see Libby, Ana Lucia. She told me you were going to need a ride to the airport. Where's Sayid?" he asked as he looked around.

"I don't know, we had yet another fight," she answered.

"You know he loves you, like you love him. He's always going to love you, and I know you love him," Hurley stated.

"Why are you here Hurley?" Mac questioned, sighing.

"Told you, Ana Lucia said you'd need a ride to the airport. We have to go back," he informed her. "Sayid will be there, not sure how, but he will. You got someone to watch little man?"

Mac put her hand through her dark brown hair. "My sister…..I need to call her, explain to her…."

"We'll stop by, come on," he instructed getting her bag. "You ready?"

"Sure why not," she answered sarcastically, as she walked out.

Thirty Eight Hours Earlier:

Hurley stopped the car in front of the house. "You want me to go in with you?"

"No I got it," she answered, getting out, opening the door with her key. "Jordan?"

"Mommy's here!" Jordan exclaimed getting off the couch.

"Mommy!" Maq squealed going into his arms.

Mac smiled as she kissed his cheek. "I need you to look at me ok? Mommy has to go away for a while, I'm hoping daddy will come too. You need to be good for Aunty Jordan ok? And always remember that we love you ok?"

"Can I come?" the little boy questioned.

Mac shook her head. "Not this time little man. I promise you that I will explain everything one day ok? But right now I need you to run up to your room and let me talk to Aunt Jordan. I love you."

"Love you too," he responded as he kissed her and ran off.

"What's going on?" Jordan responded. "Where are you going?"

"We lied," Mac told her.

"Who lied?" Jordan questioned puzzled.

"We did, the Oceanic Six," Mac answered her sister. Mac sighed. "Seventy people initially survived, forty-eight in the middle section, twenty-two in the tail section. The plane broke in two, we landed on two separate parts of the island. By the time the tallies', as Hurley named us, made it to the main section it was 48 days later, we had been reduced to seven," she stated, relief evident in her voice. "There were other people on that island, other people that didn't want there whereabouts to be found out. Other people that had plans of there own, and didn't care who was killed if we objected to it. We lied to protect the survivors we left behind on the island. You know Kate's son Aaron?"

Jordan looked at her. "Yeah, what about him?"

"He's not Kate's, he belongs to Claire Littleton, who became a friend of mine on that island. "When the tale section crashed, there was two children with us, Emma and Zach. There were taken by the people, the others. About two years ago, I literally ran into there mother. I had to look her in the eyes and tell her that I didn't know her children, that they didn't survive the crash and I never met them."

"I don't understand why you didn't just tell her the truth? Why you didn't tell other people that they were other survivors? They could have sent out search parties," Jordan said.

Mac stood up. "People don't want the truth to come out," she informed her. "The island disappeared. These are dangerous people, Jordan. Keep him safe," she instructed hugging her, as she walked out to the car.

"Everything ok?" Hurley questioned as she got in the car.

"Yeah, let's go," she answered as she looked out the car.

At the Airport:

Mac sighed hanging up the phone. "Damn it," she stated.

"No luck?" Hurley questioned.

"No," Mac answered.

Mac looked up as an amplified voice came through the speakers. "This is the preliminary boarding announcement for Ajira Airways Flight 316, with service to Honolulu and Guam, departing from Gate 15. For those of you on the standby list, we'll have plenty of seats available."

"I thought you bought all the standby tickets?" Mac questioned him.

"I did," he answered as he quickly got up and rushed over to the counter.

"We would like to invite our pre-board, first class and SkyClub passengers to board the aircraft at this time," the voice continued.

"What do you mean "standby"? There's no standbys," Hurley told the woman.

The woman looked at her computer screen. "Oh, no, sir. You don't need to worry. There are... " she started typing on her key board. "78 seats open."

"No. I bought those seats, all 78 of 'em. I'm Hugo Reyes. They're not open. They're mine. Check and see," Hurley demanded.

"Yes, I see that. Sir, these people just want to get to their destination. Why would you not want them to be able to travel?" The woman questioned, confused.

Mac sighed. "Sorry I know this will be hard to understand, but we're trying to keep people out of danger."

"You know, it doesn't matter why. They can take the next plane," he answered as Jack approached them.

"Hurley, Mac, what are you doing here? How did you know about the…" he started to question.

"All that matters is that we're here, right?" Hurley stated, as he cast a long glance at Jack.

Jack chuckled. "Well... I'm glad that you're here, man," he greeted. "You too, Mac."

"Okay, then. Let's do this. After you," Hurley stated after a long pause.

"Welcome to Ajira Air," the attendant said. "Thank you, sir. Row 8, on your left," she instructed. "Welcome aboard. Yes, ma'am, you may," the attendant answered a woman on the plane.

"Thank you," the woman answered boarding the plane.

Jack walked through the plane, Mac followed him them seeing Sayid. Sayid looks up and looks like he wants to say something, but then he looks at the woman next to him and frowns, avoiding Jack's eyes. Jack sees Sun, next. She has Jin's ring in her hands. Jack sees Kate. She's keeping her head low and looking away.

Mac sat down in the aisle across from Sayid and glanced over at him and the woman next to him.

"That should be everybody," the flight attendant announced.

"Hold up! Wait, please! Thank you for not closing it," Ben answered as he entered, a sling on his arm.

"Oh, that's okay. Go right on in," the attendant gestured him to take his seat.

"Thanks," Ben greeted as Hurley Sayid and Mac looked up at him. Hurley jumped up.

"Wait! What's he doing here?" Hurley exclaimed.

"Hurley, hey-" Jack stated as he attempted to calm him down.

"No, no! He can't come!" Hurley insisted.

"Hurley, come on you don't want to be thrown off this flight," Mac warned.

"If you want to get back, this is how it's gonna have to be," Jack informed him.

"No one told me he was gonna be here," Hurley informed them.

"Who told you to be here, Hugo?" Ben questioned.

"Is everything okay?" The stewardess questioned as she walked over.

"Yes. Yes, everything's fine. Right?" Jack questioned.

"We'll be taking our seats," Mac assured them.

"Yes, Jack. I'll be fine" Hurley answered.

"Are you Jack Shephard, seat 8C?" the flight attendant questioned.

"Yes," Jack answered.

The flight attendant handed Jack a note. "Security found this while screening your cargo. Now if you two don't mind taking your seats, we are gonna be pushing back for takeoff."

Ben and Jack take there seats. "What's that, Jack?"

"Nothing," Jack answered as he looked back at the other people in coach. "And the other people on this plane-what's gonna happen to them?"

"Who cares?" Ben questioned.


	47. Chapter 47

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 47**

**Authors Note: Several episodes combined in this chapter. It would be really short chapters otherwise. Hopefully it makes sense. Season 5 can't be over with quick enough-it's hard to write when no one's together! Please review!**

On Island:

Mac looked around, keeping her eyes peeled for anything unusual. "You doing ok?" she questioned.

"I'm not the one with the head injury," Sayid stated, casting a glance over at her. "Yes I'm alright. You?" he questioned.

"Yes," she answered. "I'd feel a lot better if we found the others," she commented. "I know you'd rather not be back on this island, but I'm glad that you're here with me," she informed him, as she kissed his cheek. "The island wasn't done with us."

Sayid looked at her. "You honestly believe that? You believe that we should be here and not with our son?"

Mac turned and looked at him. "Our son needs both of us, not just me. I need you. I found you on this island, and maybe, well maybe what we found once we can find again. I need to find Emma and Zach, I need to get them home to there mother and give her closure. I can't do it alone….I need you Sayid. Please?" she begged.

Sayid nodded, touching her face with his hands handcuffed. "I never could say no to you," he told her, as he kissed her.

"That's what I was hoping for," Mac answered with a smile.

Off Island a year prior:

Mac smiled, cutting the apple up putting it up on the picnic table. "Ok little man finish your apples and you can go back to playing ok?"

The dark haired curly haired boy nodded. "Mommy who that?" the two year old asked pointing to a man in a wheelchair who was watching them.

Mac turned, taking a breath. "Baby don't move…stay here and eat your apple's ok," she instructed, as she got up. "I have to admit I'm a bit surprised to see you here Locke."

"Actually it's Jeremy Bentham now. John Locke died in the initial plane crash," he answered.

"Why does it not surprise me that Ben is part of your name? You did take his place on the island. Obviously if you are here, that didn't work out to well," she observed, as she glanced back at her son. "What are you doing here?"

"He looks a lot like Sayid," Locke observed. "Can I go say hi?"

"No, you can't," Mac hissed. "I'm going to ask you one more time, Locke, what are you doing here."

"He wants us to go back to the island," a male's voice answered coming up from the parking lot. "I told him no."

"Sayid," Mac greeted with a small smile.

"Daddy!" Maquador squealed as he jumped up and ran to him.

"Hey big guy," he greeted as he picked him up.

"Hello, I'm Jeremy Bentham, an old friend of your parents," he introduced.

Mac glared at Locke. "Hey baby go take daddy over to the swings ok?" she asked, kissing Sayid's cheek. "I'll handle this."

Sayid nodded. "Come on big guy," he told his son. "I'll be right over there if you need me."

Mac waited until they got out of ear shot. "So how many of us have you visited Locke? How many of us have said no to you? You do know that's going to be my answer right?"

"You don't understand," Locke started to explain.

"I don't want to hear it," she told him. "Go back to wherever you came from, and leave my family alone," she instructed as she walked away.

On Island 1977:

Mac held up her hand as she heard a voice from outside the clearing. "Stop right there!" the male voice yelled.

Mac and Sayid walked out of the clearing, Sayid still being handcuffed.

"Sayid? Mac?" Jin questioned.

"Jin?" Sayid questioned.

Jin panted. "Where's Sun?"

"I don't know," Sayid answered.

"She was on the plane with us, we all got separated," Mac started to explain.

A man appeared next to Jin and cocked his weapon, Jin doing the same. "Shut up!" Jin yelled. "Get down! Say another word, and you're dead."

Sayid and Mac exchanged confused looks.

"It looks like you did something to piss off the hostiles," the man stated, as he nodded to Sayid's handcuffs. He grabbed Mac's arm and pulled her up. "You must have done something to, you got a head wound. Pissed them off, they left you for your own devices? Breaking the truce, now that's not a wise idea."

Jin shook his head slightly at Sayid. "Radzinsky, let her go. You take him, I've got her. I'll let James know we found them," he told the other man, as he took Mac's arm. "Go on," Jin instructed. Jin watched Radzinsky take Sayid ahead.

"Jin what's going on? Why do they think we are the hostiles? Who are the hostiles?" Mac demanded.

"Dharma. A lot of things have changed," Jin informed her. "James come in," Jin said into the walkie talkie.

"Jin, you there?" the voice responded.

"Sawyer?" Mac questioned.

"Drill Sgt? Jin what's going on? What's Mac doing with you?" Sawyer questioned urgently.

"James, we have a problem. We found two hostiles," Jin informed him.

"What? What do you mean you found a hostile? Where? Mac?" Sawyer asked even more urgently.

"They were wandering in the jungle. Sayid and Mac…. Radzinksy's taking care of Sayid now," Jin explained, lowering his voice

"What? Son of a bitch!" Sawyer exclaimed in the walkie.

2007 Inside Ajira Airways flight

Kate looked around apprehensively; Sun, forlornly; Jack, pensively; Sayid, absently; Ilana, asleep, Mac glanced over occasionally at Sayid. A female flight attendant pushes through the first class cabin with the beverage cart full of clinking bottles. Ben sits in the back of the cabin; Caesar and Hurley in the front. Caesar is absorbed in a magazine. Hurley looks up at the flight attendant as she passed.

Mac took a breath, as she rubbed the back of her neck the hair starting to stand up. She got up and crossed the aisle and tapped Ilana's shoulder. "Trade spots with me."

"Why?" she asked grudgingly as Sayid looked at her.

"Look, he's in handcuffs, he's on this plane going back to the island," she stated, lowering her voice. "Whoever you are working for to get him on the plane and back to that island, it worked. I'd just like to sit by the father of my child and talk with him. You can understand that can't you?" Mac questioned, as she crossed her arms.

"Fine," Ilana agreed as she got up and traded spaces with Mac.

Mac sat down. "Don't say anything, just listen Sayid. My spidey senses are tingling, this is going to happen soon. I just needed to be next to you ok?" she inquired softly, as the plane started to rattle. Mac took a breath as she felt Sayid's handcuffed hands move to hers, there eyes meeting each other.

"Fasten your seat belt," Sayid whispered as the seat belt sight came on.

Mac glanced at the sign as she took a breath as she obliged. A powerful jolt hits the plane and loud rattling commenced. Power briefly flickers out on the cockpit. In the cabin, luggage falls from the overhead bin. A woman screamed. All the members of the Oceanic Six look around, and at each other. Mac held her hand up to her face as a bright light flooded the cabin and a female flight attendant was thrown across the cabin. Mac started to unbuckle her seat belt to go and help.

"No, there's nothing you can do," Sayid told her, as he pressed his hands down on hers. "Keep your eyes focused on me," he told her as the plane shook again.


	48. Chapter 48

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 48**

On-Island - Sayid is locked in the DHARMA cell. Mac laying on a cot as she rubbed her head. A young boy entered the nearby surveillance room, where a man sits and watched the monitors.

"You ok?" Sayid questioned.

Mac nodded. "Just a major headache," Mac answered. "You haven't ate," she informed him and glanced at the plate.

"Not hungry," he answered.

"Yet you made me eat," she stated. "Doesn't exactly seems like a fair thing, does it?" she questioned and looked at him.

"I'm not injured, you are," he told her. "We have company. Let me do the talking," he ordered as a young boy walked into the cell.

"Brought you a sandwich. And a book. I read it twice. It's good," he informed them.

Sayid nods taking them. "Thank you."

"Did Richard send you?" the boy questioned as Sayid turned and looked at him. "Richard. He's your leader, right? Sayid looked up towards the surveillance camera and made a small nod in its direction. "It's just a camera. They can see, but they can't hear. Four years ago I ran away into the jungle and Richard found me. I said I wanted to leave. That I wanted to join you. So I've been patient. And if you're patient too, I think I can help you."

Mac watched as the boy leave, and sat up on the cot, turning her back to the camera. "That's Ben."

"Ben? How is that possible?" Sayid questioned.

"I don't know but that sweet looking boy turns into the man that is a pain in our asses," Mac informed him, turning her head as she heard the door open again.

"Put out your hands, come on," one of the men told Sayid as Sayid extends his arm, the man used the clippers in his hands to remove the handcuffs.

"Thank you," Sayid acknowledged. Mac looked at the two men who entered.

"It's nice to finally hear your voice. I'm Horace," he told them, neither one of them responding.

"Now's the part where you tell me your names. I need you to tell me what you were doing out in that jungle. Either one of can start talking at anytime," the man said.

"Ask them about the model," Radzinsky yelled.

"Radzinsky! I got this. Those handcuffs...are you having some kind of problem with your people? Because either you're in some kind of disagreement, which makes me want to help you, or you're a spy, trying to infiltrate us. So which is it?" Horace questioned, Sayid still not responding.

"Cat got your tongue too?" Horace questioned going over sitting by her.

"Get away from her," Sayid hissed.

"If you haven't noticed, her head wound is bleeding," Horace informed him taking off the wrap. "Deep gash, he didn't do this to you did he? I can't stand men that hit women."

"No he didn't!" Mac answered.

"We need to separate these two, not sure why James insisted we keep them together," Radzinsky stated.

"You get more fly's with honey than with vinegar," Horace told him. "You should be taken to the infirmary, that's going to need stitches."

Mac looked at him than focused her view on the wall.

"Look, your friend here won't tell me anything, will you? I really need to know why you have a head wound, and your friend here is handcuffed," Horace told her.

Mac looked at him. "You wouldn't believe me if we told you," she stated.

"Why don't you try us?" Horace told her.

Mac laughed. "Yeah, I don't think so," she stated as she glared at wall.

Sayid looked at them. "You said you have an infirmary right? You know she's injured, take her there."

"I say we use her as bait, he obviously cares for her," Radzinsky noted.

"Radzinsky, shut up," Horace told the other man taking out the walkie talkie. "James this is Horace come in."

"Go ahead," Sawyer's voice came over the walkie talkie.

Mac glanced at Sayid, out of the corner of her eye before she returned her gaze back to the wall.

"The woman's bleeding from the head wound," he told him.

"How bad?" Sawyer questioned, trying to keep concern out of his voice.

"Pretty bad, it's going to take stitches," Horace informed him.

"Either one of them talking yet?" the voice questioned from the walkie talkie.

"No, it's obvious they care for each other, wearing wedding bands," Horace stated, raising Mac's hand, she yanked it away.

"Think we should use her as bait to get him talking," Radzinsky stated.

"Shut up Radzinsky," Sawyer told him. "Take her to the infirmary. I'll meet you there. Take Radzinsky with you, don't leave him alone with the male."

"Right," Horace agreed, as he put the walkie talkie in his pocket. "Come on," he stated, as he pulled Mac up.

"I'm not going anywhere," Mac informed him as she pulled her arm away from him.

Radzinsky put his rifle to Sayid's head. "Want to rethink that?"

"Radzinsky! He's not going to be any use to us dead! Put it down," Horace warned.

"That's up to her," Radzinsky told them. "Now what is it going to be? You going to come with us nice and quietly or are you going to let me put a gun in your husbands head?"

Mac raised her hands, as she looked at Sayid. "Put it down, I'll go with you," she told them. She walked past Sayid and looked at Radzinsky. "You better hope that I never catch you with out that gun, because we'll be on fair footing, actually I'll have the upper hand."

Horace laughed. "I'd believe her if I was you, Radzinsky," he stated as Radzinsky lowered the gun. He turned his attention to Sayid. "Okay. I'm gonna give you an hour to decide whether you want to talk to me. But if you decide you don't want to, then I'm gonna have to take this to the next level."

Infirmary:

Sawyer walked in, looked at Mac then at the doctor. "You're going to have to take a walk doc."

"Why would I want to do that?" the doctor questioned.

"Because I need to talk with her, alone, that's why." he answered. "How's she doing?"

"Dug this out of her head," he answered holding up a piece of metal. "She won't tell me how it happened, actually won't say a word."

"I'll get her to talk. Now take that walk," he instructed again, a little more harshly. He waited until the doctor walked out the door and closed it. "I can't say I'm happy to see you, any of you," Sawyer commented coming closer to her.

"You've seen Kate, Jack, Sun and Hurley? Are they ok?" Mac asked, trying to sit up. "Sayid?"

"I haven't see Sun but the others yes. Sayid and I just had a chat, not a very pleasant one," Sawyer insisted. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Sayid. We're gonna say you were trying to defect. You're gonna offer some intel on the others in exchange for living with us."

"Why the hell would I do that Sawyer?" Mac questioned.

"You've spent to much time with Sayid, he practically said the same thing. I need you to give me a different answer than he did, drill sergeant. I can't protect both of you, and that husband of yours is stubborn. You'll do a lot better out there than in here and you can help Sayid a whole lot better out there. It's not going to do anyone any good if they try and kill both of you," Sawyer stated.

Mac's eyes got big. "You're not going to let that happen, are you?" she pleaded.

"I'm going to do my best not to let that happen, but I need you to work with me here ok?" Sawyer questioned. "Just say yes, Drill Sergeant and let's get out of here."

Mac looked at him. "Alright," she answered, sitting up. "What's exactly going on Sawyer? Why did I just meet a young version of Ben? Why are we in Dharma? They were all killed."

"We're time traveling, don't have a lot of time to explain, right now. Jack can explain," he stated. "By the way did you have a boy or girl?"

"Boy," Mac answered. "Now what Sawyer? What kind of intel am I supposed to give you? I don't know anything."

"Don't worry about that, we'll use what we already know," Sawyer answered as he walked out with her. "She's under my protection doc, we're going to the houses."

"Radzinsky isn't going to like that," the doctor answered.

"Radzinsky doesn't like a whole hell of a lot of things, Doc, and I really don't care," Sawyer answered. "Let's go," he instructed as he walked with her.

"This Radzinsky person sure hell pissed off a lot of people, myself included," Mac stated.

"Keep it down," he answered as he walked through the village.

"This sure does bring back memories, not exactly good ones," Mac answered.

Sawyer opened the door. "Kate? I think I've found something you got separated from."

"Mac!" Kate exclaimed as she came across the room. "Are you ok? Where's Sayid?"

Mac looked at Sawyer. "Good question."

"Well I've got a question for the two of you why did you come back, here to the island," Sawyer asked them.

"What?" Kate answered.

"Sayid filled my ear full of some crap about his damn purpose, and I wanna know... Why'd y'all come back?

Kate and Mac exchanged glances.

"_Why,_ Kate?" Sawyer repeated. "Mac?"

"I don't know why everyone else came back. I just know why I did," Kate answered.

"I know my reasons too," Mac responded. "Believe it or not Sawyer, the six of us didn't spend a whole lot of time together talking back home."

Mac turned her head to the sound of a van coming toward them. Sawyer turned around to see a burning DHARMA van speeding through some fences. It crashed into a house.

"What? What the hell?" Sawyer screamed, as him, Mac and Kate run to the scene and started to help in tackling the blaze. A woman smashed the window and jumped from it alarms blared throughout the houses.

"Are you ok?" Kate questioned, as she helped the woman.

Sawyer runs to a water tank and turned the valve. "Craig! Grab a wrench, open those valves. Get the hoses going."

"Okay," the man answered, as the fuel tank on the van exploded.

"Erin, grab the fire gear! Bill, go help Craig," Sawyer yelled as Mac grabbed the hose as Jack ran to the scene.

"What the hell happened?" Jack questioned Sawyer.

"Three years-no burning buses. Y'all are back for _one day..._ Get on that hose," he ordered as Juliet ran to the scene and grabbed a host and sprayed it on the fire.

"Mac? Where's Sayid?" Jack questioned.

"I don't know," Mac answered as she helped man the hoses.

"Man this hose!" Sawyer yelled as he got on the walkie talkie. "All security! All security! This is LaFleur! We have a fire! Everyone get to building 15 _now!"_


	49. Chapter 49

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 49**

1977 Outside Dharma barracks.

Horace walked up to Mac and looked at her. "We need to talk."

"I figured we would," she stated, as she looked at him.

"Your husband escaped our custody, wouldn't know anything about that would you?" he questioned.

"I was here, in that house," she informed him, pointing at one of the houses, "with the blond guy and some woman named Kate. I haven't been left alone since your friend held a gun to my head, so no, I don't know anything about him escaping."

"You understand if I'm a bit skeptical right?" he questioned her.

"It's Horace right?" she asked.

"Yeah, that's right, but you never introduced yourself," Horace told her.

"Mac," she stated. "I understand that you have every right to be skeptical, I would, but I don't know where my husband is, or who helped him escape."

"Sayid, that's your husband's name right?" Horace asked. "Don't look surprised, before he escaped we drugged him asked him some questions. He gave us some very interesting answers."

"Really?" Mac challenged. "And exactly what would that be?"

"Something about him being from the future, something about having crashed on the island not once but twice. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?" Horace questioned her.

Mac smirked. "I told you that if I told you what you wanted to here that you wouldn't believe me. I take it that you drugged him with truth serum, so you know that whatever he told you was the truth. Now, I take it that he also told you that everyone here is going to die," she stated watching his face. "Of course he did," Mac acknowledged. "Those hostiles as you call them, they're going to be responsible for your death, and come here and take over this nice village. You probably already know that someone from here helped Sayid escape," she told him.

"You know who it is?" Horace questioned.

"I do," she told him. "In 30 years that person is going to kill my two best friends and make my life a living hell. Don't believe me?" she asked as she pulled up her sleeve. "Go ahead drug me, ask me the questions," she told him as she looked at him.

"Tell me who it is," Horace ordered.

"No," Mac answered.

Miles raised an eyebrow as he came over. "What's going on here Horace?"

"She's telling me the same ridiculous story that her husband told me about being from the future, Miles," Horace stated.

"Is it that ridiculous Horace? What do you think Miles? Is it that ridiculous?" Mac questioned, as he grabbed her arm.

"Horace start clean up," Miles ordered as he pulled her away. "Are you crazy? What the hell are you doing?"

"Trying to save him from being killed and make my life a little easier in the future," Mac told him. "They already drugged Sayid, you're little game here is done Miles. Give me a gun," she ordered.

"No absolutely positively not," Miles answered shaking his head.

"You don't know Sayid like I do, I can tell you his next move. He's going to shoot that little bastard Ben, want to know how I know that? Because it's what I'd do," she told him. "He's caused us to much pain for us not to try to stop it," Mac told him as she watched his face. "He already shot him didn't he? Is he dead?" Mac questioned as Miles nodded for Hurley and Jack to follow him.

"No but not for the lack of trying," Miles told her as he opened a door to a room, Kate already being there. "You're all staying here, and not going to be out among the natives, so no one can blab her big mouth any more than she already has."

"He's talking about me," Mac stated, as she sat down.

"You're telling us we're under house arrest?" Jack questioned, going over and checking Mac's head wound. "You ok?"

"Yeah," she replied.

"No, you're all free to leave whenever you want...but I'll shoot you in the leg," Miles warned.

"And whose idea was this?" Jack questioned.

Miles looked up at him as he cleaned his gun. "Who do you think?"

"Sawyer's just doing his job, Jack," Kate told him.

Miles looked at Jack and pointed at Kate, as he emphasized her point. Miles walked over to the table where Hurley is inspecting his hand. "What the hell are you doing, Tubby?"

"You've hung out with Sawyer to much," Mac warned.

"Checking to see if I'm disappearing," Hurley stated. "Good to see you Mac, glad you're ok, well for the most part."

"Thanks Hurley," Mac greeted.

"What?" Miles questioned him.

""Back to the Future", man. We came back in time to the island and changed stuff. So if little Ben dies, he'll never grow up to be big Ben, who's the one who made us come back here in the first place. Which means we can't be here. And therefore, dude? We don't exist," Hurley answered.

"You're an idiot," Miles told him.

"Am I?" Hurley challenged him.

"Yeah. It doesn't work like that. You can't change anything. Your maniac Iraqi buddy shot Linus. That is what always happened. It's just...we never experienced how it all turns out," Miles answered.

"Hey enough name calling," Mac informed him. "And you don't know that, Miles. This may not have happened before, and if that's the case than we've changed history."

"This is really confusing," Hurley acknowledged.

"Yeah, well, get used to it. But the good news is that Linus didn't die, so that means the kid can't either, he'll be fine," Miles informed them.

"Didn't look like he was gonna be fine. What if you're wrong?" Kate asked.

"Well, if I'm wrong, then I guess we all stop existing, and none of it matters anyway then, does it?" Miles advised them.

"We don't exist here, in this reality, maybe we'd never crash on this God forsaken island in the first place," Mac explained, as Sawyer rushed in.

"Doc, I need you to come with me," Sawyer told him.

"Come with you where?" Jack responded.

"Juliet said the kid's losing blood, and we ain't gone none to put back in him. So we need you to show us where he sprung a leak," Sawyer told them.

"Sawyer, that kid grows up to be Ben," Mac reminded him.

"I know that, but I still need the doc to come with me," Sawyer explained.

Jack shook his head. "No."

Everyone looked at him. "What?" Sawyer questioned.

"No, I'm not coming with you," Jack answered.

"If you don't come with me, Jack, that kid's gonna die," he implored him.

"Then he dies," Jack responded as he looked at Kate and got up going to the kitchen.

Mac got up and followed him as Kate entered.

"What are you doing?" Kate quizzed him.

"Making some sandwiches. I figured everybody's be getting hungry by now," he stated as he opened a drawer.

"I know I am," Mac stated, as she went over to help.

Kate looked at them. "He's just a boy, Jack. You can't just let him die," Kate insisted.

"You heard Miles. We can't change what's already happened, this has nothing to do with me," Jack answered.

"And what if he does die Kate? It'll save us all the trouble in the future," Mac proclaimed.

"Jack, what if you're the one who's supposed to save him," Kate told him, as she ignored Mac.

"Thirty years from now, that boy's going be a man...that locks me in a cage because he needs surgery. And then you're going to come in and you're going beg me to operate on him because he's threatening to murder Sawyer. I've already done this once. I've already saved Benjamin Linus, and I did it for you, Kate. I don't need to do it again," Jack told her. "Hand me the mayo, Mac."

Mac looked at Kate as she did it.

"This is our fault. We brought Sayid back, we caused this," Kate told him.

"Actually Kate we didn't bring Sayid back, he didn't want to be on that plane. If this is our destiny, he's supposed to be here. I can't believe that you want to try and fix Ben," Mac told her.

"You know, when we were here before, I spent all of my time trying to fix things. But...did you ever think that maybe the island just wants to fix things itself? And maybe I was just...getting' in the way?" Jack questioned as Kate shook her head.

"You know, I don't like the new you. I liked the old you, who wouldn't just sit around and wait for things to happen," Kate informed him.

Jack laughed. "You didn't like the old me, Kate," Jack told her as Kate turned and walked out of the house.

"Want me to go after her?" Mac questioned.

"No," Jack told her. "You worried about Sayid?"

Mac nodded. "That obvious huh?"

"Yeah," he responded.

"You know what's also obvious Jack? You aren't over her, any more than I'm over Sayid," Mac told him, as she clapped her hand over his shoulder. "I better get out there before Miles shoots Hurley."


	50. Chapter 50

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 50**

***author's note: A couple episodes have been skipped because I couldn't fit anyone in them. I also didn't do 'flashbacks' because I felt Mac's were covered.**

1977: On Island. Jin, Hurley, Kate, Mac and Jack are gathered at Sawyer and Juliet's house, who are also present.

"All right, people, party's over. I know y'all just showed up. The rest of us have been here for the past three years. This is our home. The last thing I want to do is leave. But we ain't got no choice," Sawyer announced.

"Well, that dude in the closet-I thought he worked for you. Can't you convince him that it was all, like, a misunderstanding?" Hurley questioned him.

"I punched the man in the damn face, Hugo. What am I supposed to say-"My fist slipped"?" Sawyer snapped.

"Sawyer, where is everyone else? Shannon? Nate? Claire?" Mac questioned.

"Shannon and Nate died in an attack, a flaming arrow attack that killed mostly everyone else. We never found Claire," Sawyer told her.

"How much time do we have before someone realizes he's gone?" Kate questioned him.

"Not enough," he admitted.

"So where do we go?" Juliet asked.

Sawyer sighed. "We only got two options. We can either commandeer the sub, get the hell off this Island before anyone knows we're gone, or we can head back in the jungle, start from square one."

"I'm not getting on that sub if there's a chance that my wife is still on this Island," Jin told them.

"Yeah, me neither. After all we did to get back here? And now we're just going run off again? It'd be kinda wishy-washy," Hurley reasoned.

"Right. That's two votes for square one," Sawyer told them.

"Three to one. Sayid still is out there," Mac told him.

"Of course, let's go find the guy that shot the kid and blew our cover," Sawyer told her.

Mac glared at him. "Fine, you don't want to go hunt for him Sawyer, give me a gun, and I go look for him myself."

Sawyer started to say something as a knock came on the door. "Hold your horses, I'll be right there," Sawyer stated as he picked up the gun.

"Hey, James," Faraday greeted as he answered the door.

"Welcome to the meeting, Twitchy. Good to see you again. Pound cake's in the kitchen. Help yourself to the punch," he instructed. Sawyer looked at Miles and in a lowered voice asked, "is he still crazy?"

"It's on a whole new level, man." Miles answered.

"Great," Sawyer stated as he sighed and slammed the door.

"Jack, I'm sorry I was rude before, but what I came to do is of critical importance to everyone in this room. Does anyone know where I can find the Hostiles?" he questioned.

"Why do you need to know that, Daniel?" Juliet asked.

"Because one of them is my mother. And she is the only person on this island who can get us back to where we belong," he answered.

"Your mother is an Other?" Sawyer questioned him.

"You met her, actually, when the Island was skipping, back in 1954. They were calling her "Ellie"," he admitted.

"You guys were in 1954? Like... Fonzie times?" Hurley asked.

"You still haven't told us why you need to find her," Juliet reminded him.

"I just need to talk to her," Faraday informed them.

"I thought you said we were supposed to lay low. "Whatever happened, happened"?" Sawyer responded.

Mac watched him as she waited for an answer.

"Just tell me where they are, and I'll go-" Faraday started to explain.

"I'm not telling you anything, and you ain't going anywhere unless you want to share with us what the hell it is you're doing," Sawyer interrupted him.

"Sawyer, he said he can get us back to where we belonged. Whether we go on the sub or we head back into the jungle... we don't belong here," Jack told him.

"Well, I belonged here just fine till you came back, Doc," Sawyer notified him.

"Sawyer," Mac warned. "Come on, we're here now, nothing we can do about it."

"You know where the Hostiles are," Jack told Kate as he looked at her.

"What?" Kate quizzed him.

"You and Sawyer took Ben out to them. Can you get us back out there?" Jack questioned.

"Whoa, hold on a second. Don't say a word, Kate," Sawyer warned.

"She can say what she wants to say. Kate... You made me promise to never ask what happened to Aaron, or why you came back here. But I know that reason isn't... it isn't her, it's not now," Jack implored her.

"Whatever her reason is, helping H.G. Wells here talk to his mommy ain't got nothing to do with it. Come with us, Freckles," Sawyer told Kate.

"The code for the fence is 1-4-1-7-1-7. You should take Daniel. It's over here for us anyway," Juliet informed them.

"Okay. Let's go," Kate told them.

"I'm coming too," Mac told them. "By the way Juliet, thanks for getting us off the island, I'm sorry about this…." she told them.

"Great. Great. Thank you. Hey, Miles, can you drive us?" Faraday quested as Miles tossed him the ring of keys.

"When you realize you've made a huge mistake... we'll be back at the beach, right where we started," Sawyer told them as they left.

Mac looked around as they walked through the barracks.

"These people are not gonna be happy to see us. It might be a good idea to bring some guns. There's a gun safe in the motor pool, but it's locked," Kate informed them.

"Good thing I'm a janitor then," Jack informed them as he took out as he removed the keys from his pocket.

Mac followed Dan's eyes to where he was looking at a young red headed girl. "Is that a young Charlotte?" she questioned.

"Yes," Dan answered. "I'll meet you at the motor pool. I need just a minute. Okay?"

"Yeah, ok, we'll meet you over there," Mac answered, as she walked with Kate. "So how does it feel to know that you are responsible for handing Ben over to the others?"

"Excuse me?" Kate looked at her.

"Well if Miles is right and this has happened before than you and Sawyer are indirectly responsible for what he becomes and what he does to us when we first crash on this island. But if this hasn't happened before, and we were given a chance to change what's happened, well you pretty well screwed that didn't you?" Mac questioned.

"You're a mother, Mac. If it was your son shot wouldn't you want someone to save him?" Kate asked her.

"That boy grows up to be the man who caused us all pain. Or have you forgotten that Kate? He called a lawyer and tried to have Aaron taken away from you, but instead of thinking of that, you carried him into a jungle and handed him over to the same people who are going to come over here, murder everyone here, and in 30 years, holds us captive. Not to mention that he is indirectly responsible for how many deaths of our people? But you're so sure that what you've done is the right thing, nothing I can say is going to change your mind. If I punch you when we meet the first time in the hatch, remember this moment," she warned as she went to the motor pool.

Jack glanced up, as he put things in his back pack. "You going to be ok with Kate?"

"I don't have a choice do I Jack? What's done is done," she told him.

"You could stay here," he suggested.

Mac laughed. "If it was Kate out there alone would you stay?" she questioned as she looked at him. "Didn't think so," she added as Kate and Dan walked in.

"Hey, how long will it take us to get up there?" Faraday asked Kate.

"Uh, it depends. We can take the road until we hit the pylons, but then once we're in their territory, we have to go on foot," Kate answered, as she handed him a rifle.

"Okay. Uh, do you have something for a beginner?" Faraday questioned, as a DHARMA van approached.

"Let's go," Jack ordered as Kate gives Daniel another gun.

"That's ready to go," Kate told him, as three men got out of the van.

"Radzinsky," Mac stated watching him. "Jack this isn't going to be good," she warned.

"What's going on here? Aren't you one of the physicists off the sub?" Radzinsky questioned Dan.

"Yeah, that's right. Uh, we were just making sure that-" Faraday started to explain.

"You're supposed to be out at the Swan site," he told him. "And what's she doing with you, she's the wife of hostile that shot the kid."

Mac watched him, putting her hand on her gun in the back of her pants.

"Right. Uh, there was-there was an accident at the Orchid station," Dr. Chang asked us to help," he explained as he exposed his gun.

"He's got a gun," Radzinsky tells them, everyone but Daniel cocking their guns. "I just left Dr. Chang. He's at home with his wife and baby, you're lying. Now drop the guns and get down on the ground!" he ordered.

"Hey. Listen to me. Listen. You really do not understand what's happening here. You have no idea. We have no time. We have to leave. All right? So we're just gonna leave. Okay? Nobody's-no…" Faraday started to explain as Radzinsky fired a shot as Daniel returned one which hit Radzinsky on the hand.

"Let's go! Take cover," Mac ordered as she fired at the other two guards, as Kate and Daniel run to cover, and her and Jack join them.

"I think we can make it to the Jeep," Kate informed the group.

"All right. I'll cover you," Jack told them.

"I will too, then you go, I'll be right behind you," Mac told Jack.

" Dan? You go, too, all right? Go, go, go!" Jack informed them as he ran.

Mac glanced at Jack nodding to the fuel tanks near Radzinsky both firing shots, a fireball erupted that allowed Jack, Kate, Mac and Daniel enough time to get to the jeep.

"Sound the alarm!" Radzinsky yelled.

Hour Later arrival at Fence

Jack looked at Kate. "You remember the code?"

"Yeah, I got it," Kate answered as she jumped out of the van.

Mac got out of the jeep, as she looked around.

"What are you doing?" Daniel asked her.

"Keeping watch," she stated.

Jack laughed. "One of the two soldiers that was on our plane. Ok I'm going to look at that wound on your neck," Jack informed Daniel. "Yeah good, it's just a graze."

"Whew," he stated.

"This is gonna sting," Jack told him.

"Jack your bedside manner hasn't improved," Mac told him, as she watched Kate.

"Yeah, you're gonna be fine," Jack told him, as he bandaged his neck.

"I guess I'm lucky," he responded.

"What's luck have to do with it? I thought you said "Whatever happened, happened"?" Jack reminded him.

"You gotta understand, Jack, _this_ is our present. When we met, did I have a scar on my neck? No. 'Cause I hadn't been shot yet. We can't be so naive as to think nothing can happen to us. Any one of us can die, Jack," he told him.

"So Ben could have died," Mac reasoned as Kate joined them.

"Okay, it's off," Kate informed them.

"Thanks," Faraday responded as he jumped from the jeep. "Which way?"

"Just a couple miles in," Kate reported, as Daniel walked ahead and checked his watch.

"Do you think he knows what he's doing?" Kate asked Jack.

"I sure hope so. There's no turning back now," Jack told her. "Hey Mac you coming?" he called.

"Yeah, I'm bringing up the read, go ahead I'm right behind you," she told them as she followed them, walking for a little while to a stream.

Jack threw a water bottle at both Mac and Kate.

"Thank you," both women respond.

"You need a gun to go talk to your mother, Dan?" Jack questioned.

"You don't know my mother, Jack," Dan responded as he dropped his bag

"You ready to tell me why she was wrong? Why we don't belong here?" Jack asked him as Mac and Kate moved closer.

"In about four hours, the DHARMA folks at the swan work site-they're gonna-gonna drill into the ground and accidentally tap into a massive pocket of energy. The result of the release of this energy would be catastrophic. So in order to contain it, they're gonna have to cement the entire area in, like Chernobyl. And this containment-the place they built over it-I believe you called it "the Hatch." The Swan hatch? Because of this one accident, these people are gonna spend the next 20 years keeping that energy at bay... by pressing a button... a button that your friend Desmond will one day fail to push, and that will cause your plane-Oceanic 815-to crash on this Island. And because your plane crashed, a freighter will be sent to this Island-a freighter I was on and Charlotte was on and so forth. This entire chain of events-it's gonna start happening this afternoon. But... we can change that. I studied relativistic physics my entire life. One thing emerged over and over-can't change the past. Can't do it. Whatever happened, happened. All right? But then I finally realized... I had been spending so much time focused on the constants, I forgot about the variables. Do you know what the variables in these equations are, Jack?" he questioned.

Jack chuckled. "No."

"Us. We're the variables. People. We think. We reason. We make choices. We have free will. We can change our destiny. I think I can negate that energy under the Swan. I think I can destroy it. If I can, then that hatch will never be built, and your plane... your plane will land, just like it's supposed to, in Los Angeles," he explained.

"But if you're saying what I think you're saying then none of this, our lives what happened on this island, my son, won't exist," Mac told him.

"Not in this time, but if it's meant to be, he will," Dan told her.

"And just how exactly do you plan on destroying this energy?" Kate questioned.

"I'm going to detonate a hydrogen bomb," he announced.

Kate, Jack and Mac looked at each other. "Let's go," Mac told the group.

Daniel, Mac, Jack and Kate walk through the jungle

"This is a mistake. He's talking about erasing everything that's ever happened to us, Jack. It's insane," Kate told Jack.

"We disappeared off a plane in mid-air and ended up in 1977. I'm getting kinda used to insane," Jack told her. "Mac you ok?"

"He's talking about erasing my son, Jack, no I'm not alright, I'm far from…." she stopped talking, as she turned her head to two people talking.


	51. Chapter 51

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 51**

1977 - Daniel is holding Richard at gunpoint in the Others camp, Mac, Kate and Jack watch through a clearing.

"Where's the bomb, Richard? Where is it? The hydrogen bomb that I told your people to bury. Where is it?" Faraday questioned.

"Listen to me. Lower your gun, and we'll talk. Okay? Nobody has to get hurt here. Just put the gun down," Richard told him.

"I'm gonna give you three seconds. One…" Faraday started to say.

"Don't do this," Richard warned again.

Mac crossed her arms as she watched through the clearing, her hand on her gun.

"What's he doing down there? Jack, he's crazy," Kate told them.

"Is he? What if this is why we're here? What if this is our one chance to put things back the way they're supposed to be?" Jack asked.

Mac turned her head to the sound of a gun shot. "They shot Daniel…."

"No!" Jack yelled as he stood up.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kate questioned.

"They shot him! I'm going to go help," Jack told her.

" Yeah, they're gonna shoot you, too. We have to go, Jack. We have to go now," Kate told him.

"Oh sure, Kate, deliver the future devil of the island to these people but don't let Jack go help Daniel. Your priorities….." she stopped herself.

"Mac what is it?" Jack questioned.

Mac turned her head to the sound of approaching horses. Jack nodded at them to put there hands in surrender, him following suit. A man on a brown horse rode up to Jack and hits him broadly in the face with the stock of his rifle, polo mallet style. Jack immediately falling to the ground.

Mac looked at Kate both going to him. "Jack!" Kate exclaimed.

A second man comes closer, also on a horse. "Don't you move!" he ordered, in a Scottish accent. The second man dismounts his brown horse and pointed his rifle at them. "Don't move," he repeated.

The first man, a strong and sturdy-framed Charles Widmore, rode up, dismounted, and stride up to Jack to kick him in the face. Jack's whole body rolls over with the force of the blow.

"Hey!" Kate yelled in protest.

"Back off," Mac told him standing up.

Jack grunted as Widmore pointed his rifle into Jack's face. "Just who the bloody hell might you be?" he questioned.

Jack looked at him not saying a word.

"Get up, slowly all of you," Widmore instructed, as he and the other man tied there hands behind there backs.

Eloise paged through Faraday's journal and looks at the dead man on the ground in front of her. Widmore walked into the camp, the captive Kate, Mac and Jack led behind him by the second man, their hands bound behind their backs with rope.

"Eloise! What happened?" Widmore questioned.

"This man walked into camp and put a gun to my head, and Eloise... reacted. Where'd you find them?" Richard told them.

"Crouched in the bushes... like rats," Widmore informed them.

"Did you three come here with this man?" the woman questioned.

"Yes," Jack answered for the 3 of them.

"Put them in my tent," Eloise instructed.

"Would you care to tell me, Eloise, why the DHARMA Initiative seems to have declared war on us?" Widmore told her.

"These people aren't from the DHARMA Initiative, Charles," she answered.

"Then where the hell are they from?" Widmore demanded again.

Mac looked at him. "You wouldn't believe us if we told you," she told him.

"Shut up," he told her, as he hit her in the mouth w/his weapon.

"Hey!" Kate objected.

"Take them to my tent," Eloise instructed again.

A man pushed Kate in and proceeded to beat her up.

"Take it easy on her!" Jack screamed at the man.

The man whirled around and roundhouse-kicked Jack in the face, all while executing a menacing glare. Jack falls over and grunts on the ground "Don't talk. Understand?"

Mac looked at him, as she counted in her head how far they were away from each other.

"Mac, don't," Jack warned as the man left the tent. Kate panted and lifted herself up.

"Are you okay? Mac?" Kate questioned.

"Yeah," Jack answered.

"You know all we're missing is Sawyer, and this would be a lot like 30 years from now," Mac informed them. "On this island, hands ties behind our backs and Ben somewhere around, just waiting."

Kate glared at her. "Ok, I get it, you don't agree with my decision," she told her. "Jack, you know, before we were caught... you said that we needed to put things back the way they were supposed to be. What did you mean by that?" she questioned.

"If we can do what Faraday said... our plane never crashes... Flight 815 lands in Los Angeles. And everyone we lost since we got here... ," he stated as he chuckled, " they'd all be alive."

Mac turned her head and stared at him.

"And what about us? We just... go on living our life because we've never met?" Kate asked in disbelief.

"All the misery that we've been through... we'd just wipe it clean. Never happened," he informed her.

"It was not all misery," Kate scolded him sharply.

"Enough of it was," Jack answered.

"Jack, what about the rest of us? Our lives? My son? Are you saying that you are selfish enough just to wipe out a life?" Mac questioned.

Jack sighed. "Mac think about all the other lives we lost? If we can bring them back. You and Sayid were as miserable as Kate and I was. It's not being selfish, it would have never happened."

Eloise entered, as she carried Faraday's journal before Mac had a chance to argue. "The man I shot... what did he need the bomb for?"

Jack, Mat and Kate exchanged glances as they remained silent.

"I need you to tell me why he wanted the bomb," Eloise insisted.

"I don't think you'd believe me if I did," Jack assured her.

Eloise bent to his level. "When I was 17 years old, I took a young man to the bomb. He proceeded to tell me that if we buried it underground, then things would work out splendidly. When I asked him how he could be so sure... he said that he was from the future. And then he disappeared, right in front of my bloody eyes. Ten minutes ago, I shot that man in the back. And before he... died... he told me that he…" she whispered, "he said he was my son. Explain to me... and you have my word I will believe you. How is this my handwriting if I don't remember writing it?"

"Because you haven't written it yet. I know this is hard to understand, but... what you just did... it was an accident, and I think that there's a way for you to take it all back," Jack informed her.

"What?" Eloise asked confused.

"Your son came back here because he had figured out a way to change things. He doesn't have to be dead. You don't have to have killed him. If we do what's written in that journal none of this will have happened," Jack informed her.

"Does he know what he's talking about?" she questioned Kate.

Kate sighed as she had tears fall. "He thinks he does."

Mac looked at her. "Faraday explained it to us. It can be done, but we're not sure if it should be done."

Eloise nodded. "All right then, I'll take you to the bomb. Just... one small issue, however. We secured it over 20 years ago underground. But since that time, it appears that someone's built an entire village over it."

"Dahrma initivie," Jack stated seriously as Eloise nodded.

"However... ] it appears that the three have been passing yourselves off as members, so... I suppose coming and going will be relatively simple," Eloise informed them.

Jack scoffed. "Ah, it might be a little bit more complicated than that."

Eloise looked at him. "Come on, stand up you three, follow me," Eloise instructed as she led them outside.

Mac looked at them, as she sighed taking a breath as she nodded to Kate and Jack to go ahead of her. She took the rear. "Tell me something. Why is it that this man looks... familiar to me?" Widmore asked Eloise.

"Richard... you and Erik are coming with me," she instructed.

"Going with you where?" Widmore demanded to know.

Eloise looked at Richard. " You can untie them. And... would you mind giving us a moment?"

Mac rubbed her wrists as Richard untied them as she watched Widmore and Eloise talk.

"Who is he?" Jack questioned.

"The man you're asking about, Jack, is Charles Widmore. He and Eloise are... well, let's just say love can be complicated," Richard replied intensely.

"All right. Let's move out," Eloise instructed.

Across the Island, Eloise and her group come across a pond and birds chirping.

Eloise cast a glance at them. "You three know how to swim?"

"Why don't we just go around it?" Kate questioned, solemnly.

"No, dear, we need to go in. We have to swim under the pond to get to the tunnels," Eloise explained.

"I'm not going," Kate answered regrettably.

"What?" Jack asked confused.

" I'm gonna go back and find everyone else. I... " she sighed, "I can't go any further with you, Jack. Not this time."

"Kate," Mac stated.

"Kate, you can't go back there now. They know about us. They... they tried to kill us," Jack argued.

"And what are you trying to do? Bye, Jack," Kate answered solemnly.

Kate started to take off. Erik raised his rifle at Kate and cocked it.

"You're not going anywhere," Erik informed him.

Jack and Mac both stepped in front of the rifle. "No, no, you don't need to do that."

"We're not in the habit of telling our secrets to strangers, then just letting them saunter off," Eloise stated calmly.

"Just let her go, she's not going to tell anyone your secrets," Mac told him.

"You know I don't care about your secrets. I just wanna leave," Kate repeated as she walked away.

"Look, just put the gun-" Jack started to say.

"Step away!" Erik ordered both Mac and Jack.

"Erik, that's your name right, just let her leave otherwise you and I are going to have problems," Mac warned him.

"If she wants to leave-" Jack tried to reason with Erik.

"Hey! I said stop!" Erik yelled again.

"-she can leave!" Jack screamed.

A gunshot rings out. A wide-eyed look of terror comes over Kate's face as she stops dead in her tracks. She looks down at her chest, checking for a gunshot wound. Another gunshot rings out, and Erik falls to the ground, with two bloody holes in his chest. Sayid emerges from the foliage pointing a handgun. Eloise and Richard put there hands over there heads.

"Sayid!" Mac screamed, as she ran over to him, as Jack grabbed Erik's weapon. "Sayid…."she repeated touching his face. "Are you ok?"

Sayid nodded. "Are you?" he asked with concern, as he kissed her.

"I'm alright," she answered as she shot Jack a look. "He's talking about detonating a bomb and making 8-1-5 land safely in Los Angeles.

Sayid glanced up as Jack joined them. "So you're telling me you're going to erase the last three years of our lives?"

"We can change things, Sayid," Jack assured him.

"I don't know if you're aware of this, but I've already changed things. I killed Benjamin Linus, and we're all still here," Sayid pointed out.

"It's because you didn't kill him. Sawyer and me took him to the Others so that they could save him," Kate announced.

"Why did you do that?" Sayid questioned solemnly

"I tried to tell her not to, that this could be the chance to end everything," Mac reminded her.

"Why did I do that? Since when did shooting kids and blowing up hydrogen bombs become okay?" Kate quizzed them.

"The four of us disappeared off that plane and ended up here, ended up now, because this is our chance to change things," Jack told them.

"And if you're wrong, then everyone on the Island dies. Do you understand that?" Kate challenged back.

"I'm not wrong, Kate. This is it. This is why we're here," he let out a heavy sigh. "This is our destiny."

"Do you know who you sound like? Because he was crazy, too, Jack. You said so yourself," Kate reminded him.

" Well, maybe I was wrong," Jack reasoned.

"No, you were right. I'm going back to find the rest of our people, because if I can't stop you, then maybe they can," Kate told them.

Mac looked after Kate. "Jack can I have a minute with Sayid?"

"Of course," Jack said as he left them alone.

"I understand if you want to go with Kate," Sayid informed her, as he kissed her.

Mac shook her head. "If you told me that half an hour ago, I wouldn't have given a second thought, but now, I know that has to be done."

"What changed you mind?" he questioned, as he kissed her softly.

"Something Jack said. He said that you and I were as miserable as he was. And to think of all the lives we could save," she answered, sadness in her voice. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. If we do this, our lives never happened, our son will never exist. But I have to believe that somehow, if our flight lands in LA, that you and I will find each other, that we will know that we somehow belong together. I need to believe that, or I'm not going to be able to do this," Mac told him.

Sayid touched her face. "You are my destiny, my life. No matter what happened, what is about to happen, I will find you," he assured her as he kissed her.

Mac nodded. "I'm not going anywhere," she told him. "Ok Jack let's do this before I changed my mind."

Richard dived into the ocean, Mac watching them.

Jack looked at Eloise. "If I don't see you the other side, I won't blame you."

"Now take a deep breath and follow Richard under," Eloise instructed as Jack does it. "There's an opening in the bottom of the rocks at the far side."

Mac kissed Sayid. "Right behind me?"

"Right behind you," he assured her, as she dived in the water and swam underneath a waterfall through a narrow tunnel, then emerged into an air-filled ancient chamber, gasping and coughing. She finds Richard and Jack inside lighting some torches.

Jack reached for her, as he pulled her out. "You ok?"

She panted as she shook her head. "Yeah I'm ok," Mac answered as Eloise emerged from the entrance pool gasping. Jack helped her out as Sayid emerged, coughed and gasped. Jack went to help him.

"I didn't think you'd come," Jack told him.

"Well if this works, you'll have saved us all. If it doesn't, you'll put us out of our misery," Sayid told him as he tied his hair back. "You ok?" he questioned Mac as he kissed her.

"I'm ok," she assured him.

"All right. Let's get started," Eloise instructed.

Eloise and Richard walked a bit ahead of them in the tunnels. Sayid, Mac, and Jack a few paces behind. "Jack," Sayid whispered to get his attention. "I'm sure it's occurred to you that this woman's motivation in helping us detonate a hydrogen bomb is only to annihilate the DHARMA Initiative."

"Yes, but I still trust her," Jack informed them.

"Why?" Mac questioned.

"Because 30 years from now, she's the one who's gonna tell us how to get back to the Island," Jack told them.

"And that makes you trust her?" Sayid questioned.

Jack nodded. The four enter a large chamber. Richard begins lighting torches on all the walls. Eloise pulls a large cover off an object at the center of the chamber. The bomb, labeled "Jughead", sits there.

"Well... now what?" Eloise questioned.


	52. Chapter 52

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 52**

***author's note* The man in the chapel was always meant to be Jacob. Since this was there flashbacks with Jacob I thought I'd add mine.**

_Mac took a breath, entering the chapel at the hospital, going up to the alter bending down, crossing herself. "I know it's been a long time since I've even entered a church, or even acknowledged that you exist. But I need a sign, something to help me decide what to do about Sofia's suffering. Am I being selfish keeping her on life support and letting her suffering continue? I can't do this alone. Please, something, anything," she begged, standing up._

_Mac felt a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't meant to intrude, but I was wondering if there was anything I could do," the man asked._

_Mac looked at him. "I didn't know anyone else was here or I wouldn't have talked out loud."_

"_It's not a problem," the man said. "Sofia? Is that your sister?" the man asked._

"_I asked. I would be torn too if I had a terrible decision to make such as that, especially about a child. But, if the machine is breathing for her, then that is not the Sofia you know. She will never smile at you, never hug you, and never make you laugh at something she has done. You asked for a sign, perhaps me being here is it," the man said._

"_Thank you," she said, going out of the chapel._

Mac turned her head as she noticed Jack pacing, as Sayid read Faraday's journals.

"Is there anything in there about how we were supposed to move a ten-ton bomb across the Island?" Jack asked impatiently.

"Actually, it's twenty tons. Fortunately, it seems Faraday never intended freight the device in its entirety," Sayid answered.

"What?" Eloise questioned in disbelief.

"He left detailed instructions on how to remove the plutonium core...and how to detonate it," Sayid informed them.

"Faraday told me that we needed to wipe out some kind of pocket of energy. Is only part of the bomb going to be enough to do that?" Jack questioned, as he looked at Mac and Sayid.

Mac threw up her hands. "Sorry Jack, this is way out of my level of expertise," Mac informed him. "I'm just following Sayid's lead."

"The core itself is a thermonuclear weapon. It'll be more than enough," he informed the other man. Sayid stood, handed the journal to Mac as he stride over to a nearby metal box and began to drag it.

"Hey, hey, wait. We sealed that thing up twenty years ago, and we put it underground because it was emitting radiation. Does this sound like a good idea to you, Eloise?" Richard told them.

"Leave him alone, he knows what's he doing," Mac warned, as she glared at Richard.

"Richard -" Eloise warned.

"You're pregnant," Richard reminded her.

Mac looked at her with a shocked face.

"Which is exactly why we have to help them see this through," Eloise informed Richard. "Once the core is removed, then what?"

"Then, we have approximately two hours to take it to the Swan site," Sayid answered.

"Two hours?" Jack questioned.

"When Faraday returned to the Island, he was very explicit about this timetable," Sayid warned them.

"Well then, we better get moving," Jack told them.

"You know Desmond once said we were in a snow globe, I'm beginning to believe him, we're going back to our hatch, can't be any of the other hatches, it has to be the one we found and pushed the button," Mac said in disbelief shaking her head. "We're going to need something to carry the core in," Mac added.

Sayid nodded. "She's right," Sayid answered, as she squeezed her hand.

Jack went over and found a bag and brought it over. "Sayid is this big enough?"

"That'll do," he answered as Jack brought them the pack.

"Are you done with Faraday's journal?" Jack questioned.

"Take it," Sayid answered.

"Don't even argue with me, I'm going to help you carry the core," Mac informed him.

"If I tried to argue, I would lose," Sayid answered as he kissed her. He continued to remove the core from the Jughead, as Richard picked up a large hammer and Sayid removed the core.

Richard looked at Jack. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Jack answered.

"Over, uh, twenty years ago, a man named John Locke, he walked right into our camp. And he told me that he was going to be our leader. Now I've gone off the Island three times, to visit him. But he never seemed particularly special to me," Richard told him.

"You said you had a question," Jack stated

"You know him? Locke?" Richard questioned.

Jack chuckled. "Yeah. Yeah, I know him. And if I were you, I wouldn't give up on him."

Sayid wrapped the core up in his sweater. "Time is short, let's go."

Mac followed them down a hallway. Richard, knocks on the wall, which returns a hollow sound.

"Alright, stay back," Richard told them. Richard proceeded to knock the wall down with a hammer. It leads into the basement of a house in the Barracks.

"It's one of the DHARMA houses. I'll go first," Jack told them.

"Jack, don't misunderstand who's in charge here. I'll go first. Because if someone in that house is a threat, you might hesitate," she told him as she cocked the gun. "I won't."

"Alright, okay, Eloise, go on, after you," Richard told him.

Mac gave Sayid a glance, as she watched Richard.

"Once we give you the all clear, then you bring the bomb," Eloise instructed as Sayid nodded. "We don't want any accidents -"

Suddenly, Richard knocked her out with the butt of his pistol.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jack yelled at him.

Richard raised his gun at them. "I'm protecting our leader. Get back. She's gonna be angry when she wakes up, but that's a lot better than being dead. She ordered me to help you, we helped you, now you're on your own. I'm taking her out the way we came in."

Sayid glanced at Jack. "After you."

Jack climbed through the hole, followed by Mac then Sayid. He exited the basement, they proceeded to enter the living room of the house. Outside, an alarm is sounding, and people are running around.

A voice over the speaker came through. "We are in a code black! Report with your weapons to your security assignment immediately. If you come into contact with a hostile, you are authorized to use deadly force."

"I had a feeling this wasn't going to be easy," Mac told them.

"How the hell are we going to get out of here?" Jack questioned, as he glanced around.

Sayid notices a workman's uniform. "We hide in plain sight," he answered as he grabbed the uniform.

Mac and Jack grab uniforms' putting them on. Jack, Mac, and Sayid continue outside, walking calmly but cautiously. Phil is talking to his team nearby.

"You go over there by the gate, and you get... ...so you guys go," he instructed.

"Hey! HEY!" a man yelled as he cocked a gun. Sayid, Jack, and Mac turn. "You're the son of a bitch who shot my kid!"

"Don't fire that weapon, I'm carrying a nuclear de-" Sayid started to explain as Roger fired, the bullet hitting him in the stomach.

"Sayid!" Mac screamed, as she lifted her gun and fired into the crowd, Jack followed suit. Mac helped Sayid up from the ground, them taking shelter behind a house.

Jack attempted to run, but Jin, Miles and Hurley drive up in a DHARMA bus, opening the door.

"Get in!" Jin ordered, as the three got into the van.

"Drive!" Jack ordered, as a shot shattered the rear windshield.

Mac took the device out of Sayid's hands. "Jack!" she yelled to get his attention.

"Is that a bomb?" Miles questioned with disbelief in his voice.

"Try not to move. I need to stop the bleeding," Jack told Sayid.

"Yes Miles, it's a bomb," Mac answered. "We have a few more problems now that right now," she hissed at him.

"What's going on back there? Is Sayid okay?" Hurley asked.

"Does he look okay? Just keep your eyes on the damn road!" Jack ordered.

"Jack your bed side manner sucks right now," Mac told him. "Hey hold on ok?" she told Sayid as she touched his face.

"Ah, let's pull over!" Hurley answered nervously.

"And get shot! Just drive!" Miles ordered.

"I don't know where we're going," he pointed out.

"The Swan site. Head to the Swan," Jack ordered as he worked on Sayid.

"Why do you want to go there? If Sayid's shot, shouldn't we-" Hurley started to explain.

"Hurley, if you want to save Sayid, take us to the Swan!" he instructed

"The Swan it is," Hurley agreed.

Jin looked at him. "Jack, what's at the Swan?"

"I think I found a way to get you back to your wife, so hold on," Jack answered, as he worked on Sayid.

"How much further? " Jack questioned.

"Uhh...we're about five minutes away!" Hurley responded.

"You can't stop the bleeding," Sayid told Jack.

"Hey, you'll be fine, don't give up on Jack….." Mac told Sayid, as she ran her fingers through his hair. "He'll be fine, right Jack?" Mac asked, pleadingly.

Jack looked at Mac. "I need fresh dressings," he told Jin.

"Jack! So this bomb is supposed to what, blow us back in time?" Miles questioned.

"We're not going back in time," he told the other man.

"Right, because that would be ridiculous!" Miles told him.

"I need to modify the bomb. I can make it so it detonates on impact. Jack, we need to be there at the moment of the Incident, or all this will be for nothing," Sayid informed him as the van slammed to a half.

"Hurley!" Mac yelled.

"Why the hell are we stopping?" Jack questioned angrily.

"That's why," he answered as he pointed to Sawyer, Kate and Juliet outside the van.

"Kate is going to try to stop us," Mac told Jack.

"I'll handle it," Jack stated as he stepped outside the van.

Mac looked at Sayid, they both nod to each other. "I'm going with you Jack," Mac told him.

"No you stay here with Sayid," he instructed. "I won't be long."

"Help me get Sayid outside the van," Jin told her.

Mac nodded. "Hey, you aren't giving up on me right?" Mac questioned as she helped Jin with Sayid.

"Do not fool yourself, Mackenzie. We both know it's bad," Sayid told her as he touched her face. "Always remember I loved you."

"Don't worry, dude. Everything will be fine when Jack changes the future... or the past. One of those," Hurley assured him, handing him water.

Mac looked up at Hurley, tears in her eyes.

"I don't think your buddy's going to make it," Miles told Jin.

"He'll make it," Jin assured him.

Mac got up and pushed Miles. "Why don't you say that to my face Miles?"

"Mac, stop it," Jin ordered as he grabbed her. "Easy," he told her as Jack returned to the van with his face bloody.

"Jack?" Mac questioned.

"Dude, what happened to your face?" Hurley answered.

"Nothin'. We were just up on a ridge where we could look down into the Swan site," Jack explained as he retrieved a bag from the van. "Something just happened down there. They hit something. It's time for me to go," he told them as he removed the object from the bag.

"It's all set to go. Remember, be careful. It's rigged to explode on impact. According to Faraday's plan, you must get the bomb as close as you can to the source of electromagnetism," Sayid reminded him.

"Sayid, this is gonna work, and it'll save you," Jack reassured him.

"Nothing can save me," Sayid told him solemnly.

Jack put the backpack with the Jughead core in it on his back, as he took a gun from Hurley and nodded to Kate before leaving for the Swan site.

Mac looked at Sayid, and kissed him. "I have to go with him," she told him, as she picked up the gun from inside the van. "Jack wait up."


	53. Chapter 53

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 53**

***author's note: Sorry this is so short but chapter 52 got so long I had to continue this into this one.**

"Mac, stay here," Jack advised her.

"No Jack, you don't get to do this alone, not this time. Some time in the future, before I meet you on this island, you're going to say live together die alone," she reminded him as she looked back at Sayid. "He's not alone, but you will be. Let's go," she told him, as she walked in front of him.

On there way through the jungle, they encountered Sawyer and Juliet as they walked toward him. He looked at Sawyer as he passed. "See ya in Los Angeles," Jack told him. "You shouldn't be with me, you should be with Sayid," Jack told her.

"Jack, I'm exactly where I need to be. I don't need to watch Sayid die, and if this doesn't work we both know that he is going to die," Mac told him. "If Sayid hadn't been shot, he would have insisted on doing this, so I'm insisting on helping you. So don't tell me to go back, or I may give you matching black eye," she warned. Mac glanced down from the ridge as she viewed the scene. "I'll cover you and hope to hell that they don't spot us."

"You ready?" he questioned.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she told him, as she nodded for him to go.

Jack made his way to the water tank just on top of the ridge, as Mac followed him, her gun pointed ready to fire.

"There!" Phil yelled as he spotted Jack and fired a barrage of bullets at Jack, Mac firing back. "Go!" she yelled at Jack as Jack takes cover as he shot one of the guards.

"That's the woman that LeFleur let go! Get them!" Radzinksy yelled.

Mac took aim at Radzinsky making sure to fire at the arm he held the gun with.

"You could have aimed to kill," Jack told her.

"He's mine," Mac hissed.

"Flank them! Get them now!" Phil yelled as a DHARMA van approached. Kate and Juliet fired shots from within the van.

"Who's this?" Radzinsky yelled, as he held his arm.

The van halted and Juliet hopped out. Sawyer and Miles follow shortly after. Gunfire continues and several more security members are hit. Jack made his way closer to the site, Mac right behind him, as they jumped down the ridge

on his way.

Gunshots ricochet as the fighting continued. Sawyer sneaks through the site and jumps Radzinsky, hitting him with his gun.

"Aah!" Radzinsky yelled.

Sawyer then grabbed Phil by the neck from behind and held a gun to his head. Miles disarmed Radzinsky.

"Drop it, Phil, or you're a dead man!" Sawyer ordered Phil as he held him at gun point.

"Okay, okay," Phil obliged, doing as he was told.

"Tell 'em to put their guns down," Sawyer ordered again.

"Drop the guns! Drop the guns!" Phil shouted at the workers who obliged as the drilling continued.

"All right, you can come out now, Doc! Drill Sgt!" Sawyer yelled at the other survivors.

Kate hopped of out of the van and with Juliet started to head down into the site.

"Hurry up and do your business," Sawyer yelled at Jack as the alarm continued to blare.

"Turn that damn thing off!" Sawyer yelled as Miles father tried to pull all the lever but the drilling continued. "What's the matter?" Sawyer demanded to know.

Pierre Chang pushed a button on the drill, but it does nothing. "It won't shut down!" he yelled.

"Why not?" Mac yelled as she looked at Sawyer.

"Something's pulling the drill down," Dr. Chang answered.

"We hit the pocket!" Radzinsky yelled.

"Shut up," Mac told Radzinsky as Jack pulled the Jughead core from the backpack and held it over the hole.

"Hurry up, Doc! What are you waiting for? Drop it!" Sawyer screamed at him as the drilling continued.

Jack looked up at Kate, she looked back and noded. Sawyer released Phil and looked at Juliet, she smiled. Mac took a deep break as she closed her eyes. Jack droped the Jughead's core and it plummeted down the shaft. Everyone closed their eyes. After a few moments of flinching, they all opened their eyes.

"This don't look like LAX," Sawyer observed as he opened his eyes.

"It didn't work," Mac observed above a whisper.

Suddenly a humming sound began, and metal clanked and banged loudly as the drill shook. Steam shot from the shaft. Jack's gun is pulled into the shaft by an invisible force. Then a toolbox is pulled into it. Pierre tries to shut the drill down once more, but nothing happened. Then the drill tower bends and creaks as it is pulled down by the electromagnetism.

"Something with the electromagnetism is happening!" Mac screamed. "Get back!" she ordered as a toolbox hit Jack in the back of the head. "Kate help me. We got to get out of here now!" she screamed.

"Jack!" Kate screamed.

"Get away from here! Get as far away from here as you can!" Miles ordered.

Radzinsky tried to drive a Jeep away but it is pulled back by the electromagnetism. "Go! Go! Go!" he yelled as the jeep is overturned and the passengers are thrown out of it. Phil picked up a gun and pointed it at Sawyer.

"Hey, LaFleur!" Phil yelled at him.

Sawyer noticeed the scaffolding beginning to fall and ran away. It landed on Phil, who is then is then impaled by a metal spike. A chain is pulled by the magnetism and wrapped around Juliet as it dragged her to the shaft opening.

"Aah! Help!" Juliet screamed.

"Juliet!" Mac screamed as she ran with Kate and tried to pull her to safety.

"Juliet! Ah, come on! Sawyer!" Kate yelled at Sawyer.

"Help!" Juliet yelled again.

"Juliet!" Sawyer screamed as he helped her.

"Sawyer!" Kate yelled.

"Uhh!" Juliet grunted as she lost her grip on the bar but Sawyer reached her just in time.

"Where do you think you're going, Blondie?" Sawyer questioned in a distraught voice.

" Aah! It hurts! Aah!" Juliet told them.

Kate! Mac! Help me get those chains off!" Sawyer yelled as they attempted to reach for the chains. "Hold on! You hold on!" he screamed at Juliet.

Juliet cried. "I can't. I can't get it off."

"I got you," Sawyer assured her.

"I can't…" Kate grunted as she tried to reach the chains as metal creaked and Juliet continued as she sobbed.

"I can't reach them," Kate told them.

Mac looked around searching for something to help them.

"You hold on!" Sawyer pleaded with Juliet as the machine buckled.

"Aah! No!" Juliet cried.

" Please! I got you," Sawyer cried as the drill structure began to snap.

"Kate go to Jack," Mac yelled as the machine buckled again.

"Don't you leave me," Sawyer repeated to Juliet.

Juliet panted. "It's okay," she assured him.

"_Don't you leave me!_ You hold on!"

"I love you," Juliet told him as she sobbed.

"No, you don't let go!" James told her as Mac watched.

"I love you, James," she repeated.

"Don't let go," he repeated.

"I love you so much," she told him.

"No! No, don't let go!" he screamed at her as Juliet released her grip and screamed as she fell down the shaft.

"Juliet!" Sawyer yelled as the buzzing and humming continued.

"We have to go," Mac told him.

"Sawyer, get off of there!" Kate yelled at him as the metal continued to crack.

"We have to go right now. We need to go!"

Sawyer groaned as he rested on the drill structure, which is about to fall into the shaft.

"Get off. It's going down! This thing is gonna go! You have to let it go. You have to go! This thing is going to blow at any second," Kate yelled at him.

"No!" he screamed at them as Jack came over.

"Jack! Jack, help us get him off," Kate pleaded. They pulled Sawyer away from the drill as it crashed and fell down into the hole. Underground, Juliet wakes up and coughs up blood and cries. She notices the Jughead core lying next to her. She picks up a rock and begins to strike the bomb.

"Come on! Come on!" Juliet sobbed. "Come on! Go! Come on! Come on! Come on, you son of a bitch!" After the eighth strike, there is a loud explosion and a bright white light fills the world.


	54. Chapter 54

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 54**

***author's note: FINALLY done season 5! Flashsideways here I come. Since the girls were dead two years at the time of the crash they are now two years older. Another OC for lost is bugging me….oh fun. (Said with author sarcasm)**

"_Mom? Earth to mom," Mac heard with her eyes closed as she leaned against her seat on the plane._

_Mac opened up her eyes and looked around. "Sofia…..what is it?"_

"_Paige was blabbing about the visit to grampa again," the 14 year old complained._

_Mac smiled. "Well it was an exciting trip, being in Australia and all wasn't it Paige?"_

_The 9 year old nodded. "Yes."_

"_Don't be so hard on your sister, Sofia, sisters are very important. I know it doesn't seem like that now, but you'll come to rely on each other as adults," she informed them as the plane shook. She grabbed the side of her seat. The fasten seat belt sign coming on._

"_Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned on the "fasten seat belts" sign," the flight attendant's voice came over the PA as the rattling stopped._

"_Girls put on your seat belts," she instructed her daughters._

"_But the rattling stopped," Paige pointed out. "It's not like we're going to crash on some deserted island._

_Sofia shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Surviving a plane crash would highly impossible away."_

_Mac laughed. "OK you two, just put on your seat belts ok?" she questioned her daughters' as the fasten seat belt dinged again._

"_Sorry about the unexpected bumps, folks. We just hit a pocket of rough air. It should be a smooth ride from here on out," a male's flight attendant voice came over the PA._

"_Mom you ok?" Sofia asked her mother._

"_Yeah, fine," she assured her daughters as she looked out the window._

On-Island -

Mac sat up as she rubbed the back of her head as she spotted Jack on the ground. "Jack!" she yelled as she saw Kate as she ran to him.

"Jack? Jack," Kate cried. "Can you hear me? Jack!"

"What happened? Where are we?" Jack questioned.

"At the hatch," Kate explained.

Mac and Jack walked over and looked down the crater. "What? They built it?" Jack asked dumbfounded.

"We aren't in 1977 anymore," Mac pointed out.

"Yeah. They built it," Kate agreed.

Sawyer kicked Jack down the crater. "You son of a bitch."

"Sawyer!" Kate and Mac screamed at the same time, as Kate started to climb down after Jack.

"Uhh!" Jack groaned.

"You were wrong!" Sawyer screamed as he started to climb down.

"Sawyer stop!" Mac ordered as she grabbed him.

"That's the damn Swan hatch-blown up just like we left it before we started jumping through time! You said we could stop it from ever gettin' built! That our plane would never crash on this Island!" Sawyer shouted at him.

"Stop it!" Kate yelled up at him.

"This ain't LAX!" Sawyer pointed out. "Let go of me, Mac," he hissed as he pulled his arm away.

"Sawyer stop!" she warned.

"Stop it!" Kate repeated.

"You blew us right back where we started! Except Juliet's dead. She's dead, you son of a bitch, 'cause you were wrong!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Sawyer... I'm sorry. I thought we were supposed to... I thought it would work," Jack informed him solemnly.

"Well, it didn't!" Sawyer told him.

"Sawyer this isn't going to do Juliet any good!" Mac screamed at him. "I'm going back to the van, to Sayid, come with me."

"You think you're any less guilty then him drill sgt?" Sawyer screamed at her accusingly. "You and Sayid went along with him, you think I want to go back there and try and help save him. It should have been you, not her. Why you come back here Mac? She got you off this island to have your son. Now what do you have?"

"Sawyer stop it!" Kate warned.

"No, Kate let him scream, it may not help but it'll make him feel better. Plus he's right," she acknowledged.

"_Your daughter's are very pretty," Mac heard a woman's voice tell her as she looked across the aisle._

"_Thanks," she acknowledged as she looked at her daughters' slept. "Mackenzie Grayson," she introduced herself._

"_Ana Lucia Cortez," she introduced extending her hands. "What were you guys in Australia for?"_

"_Visiting my father and his wife," she explained. "You?"_

"_Taking care of some business," she answered. "Long trip."_

"_Yes it is, I could do without the turbulence," she stated._

"_Yeah, makes a long trip that much longer," Ana agreed. "How old are your daughters? Sorry if I'm being to noisy."_

_Mac laughed. "No, it's fine. Sofia's 14, and Paige is 9."_

"_Ladies and gentlemen, nothing to be alarmed about, but if there is a doctor onboard could you please press your call button?" the flight attendant stated on the PA._

_Mac looked at up and then watched the flight attendant go to the front of the plane. "That doesn't sound good," she stated._

"_Someone probably did something stupid," Ana told her. "It's best to stay out of it, it seems they have it handled."_

Mac walked from the site on her way to the van as she spotted Jin. "Jin! Sayid?"

Jin looked at her. "He's hanging on. It did not work?"

"No, it didn't. They're at the site, I'm going back to the van," Mac answered soberly and walked off with purpose. She grabbed the side of the steadying herself before going in.

She heard Sayid cough, gag and wheeze before she went in. "Hey…..Hurley how is he doing?"

"Don't worry, dude. Everything's gonna be fine," Hurley told him as he looked at Mac.

"Hey why don't you take a break Hurley I got it," she told him, as she put Sayid's head on her lap. "Hey….."she greeted as she kept her voice calm.

"It did not work?" he questioned as he coughed.

"No…." she answered. "Hey you need to stop talking ok?"

"When I die... what do you think will happen to me?" Sayid questioned.

"I've tortured more people than I can remember, I've murdered. Wherever I'm going…" he lowered his voice, "it can't be very pleasant."

"Sayid, come on," Hurley stated from outside the van.

"I deserve it," Sayid assured them.

"Hurley give us some privacy, ok?" Mac pleaded, as she watched him leave the area. "Sayid, look at me, focus on my voice ok?"

Sayid looked up at her. "How did you…..ever love me?"

"Hey, stop that right now ok? We're all capable of good and evil," she told him as she touched his face. "All that you've done, you redeemed yourself. OK? And don't you EVER doubt that I loved you," she told him, her voice breaking. "I needed this to work so I wouldn't have to say goodbye again. I've done that to much," she informed him.

"You do not have to say goodbye," Sayid told her as he coughed. "Tell our son," he started.

Mac fought back the tears in her eyes. "Don't you leave me Sayid. Don't you make me bury you! I don't think I can handle burying another person I love."

Hurley looked in the van. "Um…sorry dude…they're back," he told her.

Mac nodded as Jack entered. "He's not doing to good Jack," Mac told him, her voice breaking.

Jack started to exam in. "Even if I could get the bullet out, bleeding won't stop, there's nothing I can do for him," Jack explained.

"There's somethin' I can do. There's a temple, if we can get Sayid there we can save him," Hurley told them.

"And you know this how?" Miles questioned in a demanding tone.

"This guy Jacob told me just before you got here," Hurley told them.

"No one was here when I got here, Hurley," Mac told him.

"He's dead," Hurley explained.

"Who's Jacob?" Jack demanded.

"Does it matter? Can you fix Sayid, Jack?" Hurley questioned.

"No," Jack admitted.

"Then you're gonna have to let me do it," Hurley told them.

Jack and Jin get Sayid out of the DHARMA van - Juliet's body is covered, next to the van - Hurley takes the guitar case out of van.

"Are we gonna sing Kum Ba Yah on the way?" Miles teased.

"It's not a guitar man," Hurley told him.

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, captain Norris here, we're now beginning our final descent into Los Angeles international airport, I'm happy to tell you it's a beautiful day in Los Angeles, 72 degrees, 6 miles visibility and winds outta the south-west at 5 miles an hour," the captain's voice stated over the PA system._

"_Girls, wake up, we're almost home. Buckle up," she told them as she straightened up her seat._

"_I'll be putting on the fasten seat belt sign now, we'll be on the ground in just a few minutes, thank you so much for flying Oceanic Air," the captains voice said again._

"_Glad to be home?" Ana asked._

"_Think so," Mac answered as the plane landed, her standing getting her carry on bag and the girls from the over head department._

"_Being in the back, we're going to be the absolutely last people off this plane," Paige moaned._

"_Just start moving, we'll be fine," Mac instructed. "Nice to meet you," she told the other woman as she started to move._

On-Island - Jack, Jin, Sayid, Kate, Mac, Hurely approach the wall surrounding temple.

"That's a big wall," Hurley pointed out.

"How're we gonna get him over the top?" Jack questioned.

Hurley goes to the hole and looked down. "We're not, we're bringing him in through here."

"This is going to be fun," Mac pointed out as she went down the hole. Hurley finds Montand's skeleton. Kate finds a bag and empties it, Hurley sees a book.

"Who brings a book into a cave?" Hurley questioned as Mac found a torch taking it and handing it to Kate to light. "And why is his arm missing?"

"It was ripped off when he was attacked by the black smoke," Jin stated.

"Well, this is gonna be awesome," Hurley stated.

"Can we move?" Mac begged.

"Yeah, lets go," Jack agreed as they started to make their way through the jungle and all come up to a hole in the ground. "Watch your step," he advised.

"Yeah," Kate agreed.

Mac stopped, holding up her hand as she heard whispers. "Are you freaking kidding me?" she questioned, then she heard guns cock around her.

"Let's go," one of the guards tell them leading them to the temple.

Mac looked at the man who started to speak Japanese. "Dare da omaetachi (誰だ 御前達―Who are you?"

"Who are you?" a translator repeated.

Cindy appeared. "I know who they are. They were on the first plane. Oceanic 815 along with me."

"Cindy…" Mac greeted.

"They should not have come here. Seeing this place is unforgivable. Ute! Shoot them!"

"You sure?" the translator questioned as the man walked away. He shrugged "Shoot 'em."

"Wait!" Mac screamed.

"Woah, wait, no!" Jack pleaded.

"Jacob sent us!" Hurley added.

The Japenese man came back. "What did you just say?" he questioned as the other man translated.

"I said, Jacob sent us. He said, you would help our friend," Hurley explained and pointed to Sayid.

"Have you encountered Jacob? Prove it!" the man said in Japanese.

"He wants you to prove it," the translator stated.

"Uh…" Hurley hesitated.

"He is lying! Shoot them!" the man said as an other cocked his rifle.

"He gave me that guitar case!" Hurley screamed.

"Did you look inside it?" the translator questioned.

"Maybe," Hurley admitted.

The Japanese man opened up the guitar case to reveal a large wooden Ankh. He holds it up to examine it and then breaks it in half.

"Dude!" Hurley screamed.

Dogen extracts a piece of paper within the Ankh and reads it.

"What are your names?" The translator questioned.

"Hugo. Hugo Reyes. Tell him," Hurley told the others.

"Jin Soo-Kwon," Jin answered.

"Kate Austen," Kate answered.

"Jack Shephard," Jack introduced himself.

"Mackenzie Jarrah," Mac answered.

"What about him?" the translator asked.

"Sayid Jarrah," Jack answered.

The Japanese man folded up the paper, saying something in Japanese.

"Pick him up - get him to the spring," the translator translated.

"Hey, excuse me, I carried that case across the ocean and like, through time, so I wanna know what that paper says," Hurley told him.

"The paper said that if your friend there dies, we're all in a lot of trouble," the translator explained.


	55. Chapter 55

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 55**

On-Island The Japanese man walked with the group to the spring.

"The water isn't clear - what happened?" Lennon questioned.

The Japanese man answered in Japanese before going into the spring and cut his palm with a knife.

"What is he doing?" Kate asked.

"I don't know," Jack admitted.

"I'm not getting a good feeling about this Jack," Mac told him, her hand on Sayid's shoulder.

"If there's a chance to save him, this is it," Jack reminded her.

Dogen dips his bleeding hand into the spring, bringing it out still bleeding. He pointed at Sayid and spoke in Japan. Lennon repeated in English, "Who did this to him?"

"My fault, I didn't shoot him but it's my fault," Jack admitted.

"If we do this there are risks .. you understand?" Lennon repeated.

Jack looked at Mac. "Do what you have to do," Jack told him.

"You'll have to move away from him," Lennon told Mac.

"I'm going with him," Mac informed him.

"You can't, trust us," Dogen told her as Jack grabbed her shoulders.

"Let them do what they need to do," Jack told her as they watched them remove Sayid's coveralls putting him into the spring head first.

"What are they doing?" Mac yelled.

"What are they doing?" Jack repeated as Lennon ignores them.

"Can unconscious people hold their breath?" Hurley asked.

"No," Jack answered as Sayid began to convulse, the others firmly held him underwater.

"Let him up!" Mac screams at them.

"He's awake, let him up," Jack repeated.

Dogen continued to watch Sayid struggle.

"What are they waiting for?" Jin demanded.

"Stop it! Let him up!" Mac screamed pleading.

"That's enough!" Kate yelled as Dogen continued to observe the hourglass.

"I said, let him up!" Jack told Dogen, who used martial arts to rapidly disable Jack and continued to watch Sayid struggle.

"You're not saving him! You're drowning him!" Hurley screamed.

"Please stop it!" Mac screamed as she watched Sayid stopped struggling just before the last grains of sand fall from the top of the hourglass. The others bring Sayid out of the spring, Dogen checking Sayid.

"You're friend is dead," Lennon informed them.

"He killed him! You did nothing!" Mac screamed at them running over to Sayid. "No No!"

Jack starts mouth to mouth resuscitation, and continued chest compressions.

"Jack," Mac said her voice pleading with him.

"Jack, he's dead," Kate told him and grabbed his arm. "He's not coming back, stop it!"

_Mac grabbed the last of her bags from baggage claim, and handed it to Paige. "OK I think that's it," she told her daughters. "Let's go," she told her daughters, as they started out of baggage claim._

"_Excuse me! Excuse me," they heard a man call from behind them. " I think you dropped this from your bag," the man stated as he held out a book to Paige._

_Mac and the girls turned, the middle eastern man holding out the book as Paige took it._

"_Thank you, you just saved me a library charge," Mac answered with a smile. _

"_Thank you," Paige answered. "You coming back from Australia too?"_

"_Um he's at baggage claim isn't he?" Sofia asked, shaking her head._

"_Girls enough. Thank you again," Mac told the Middle Eastern man meeting his eyes._

"_Let's just zip up your bag so your mother doesn't have a library fine," the man told Paige as he put the book into the book bag, as he zipped it up._

"_Come on girls, your Aunt is probably waiting for us," Mac told her daughters as they walked away, as she looked back at the man._

On-Island - Kate, Jack, Jin, and Hurley are sitting around spring, as they looked at Sayid's body. Mac cradled the body in her arms.

"Mac," Jack started to say as he bent down.

"Don't even say it Jack, don't form the words," Mac warned, as she looked at him. "Tell me how am I going to tell my son that his father isn't coming home? Or explain to him why we came back. You aren't going to be happy until we're all buried on this island are you Jack?" she hissed, as she steadied her breath. "I know why I came back but he didn't want to be on that plane!"

"Mac," Kate warned. "This isn't Jack's fault."

"Of course, you'd stick up for Jack wouldn't you Kate? Jack can't do no wrong. But this is my fault to, I was crazy enough to go along with his whole damn plan to blow up this island," Mac stated in between sobs. "I'm so sorry Sayid….." she said as she kissed his fore head and slipped the ring off his finger. Mac looked up as Cindy walked in, followed by Zach and Emma. Mac laid Sayid's head gently down on the ground, as she walked up to them.

"Mac what are you doing?" Jack asked in a whisper.

Mac shot him a glance. "You came back for your reasons, I came back for mine," she yelled at him.

"Thought you might like a little something to eat or drink. Zach, Emma, then take the rest to the people over there," Cindy told the children as others bring in Sawyer.

"Emma? Zach? Do you remember me?" she questioned the children as she approached.

"Mac what are you doing?" Cindy asked her.

"Cindy, I'm going to ask you politely to stay out of this only once," Mac told her sternly. "Emma, I was on the plane with you and we crashed. Do you remember?"

Emma nodded. "Yes…" she answered, cautiously.

"Do you remember the promise Ana Lucia made you? To get you back to LA to your mother?" Mac questioned. She waited until Emma nodded. "She died trying to keep that promise," Mac told her.

Cindy looked at her. "Maybe this isn't the time to have this discussion. They are happy here," she told her.

"I saw your mother, when I was back in LA," she told the children as she moved closer as she ignored Cindy. "She thinks both of you are dead. I came back here to bring you home. I appreciate that Cindy has taken care of you…I really do, and I'm sure your mother would too, but this isn't her decision, it's yours. I'm going to walk back over there to the spring, and I'm going to let you two think about what I'm offering. I promise you if you want to leave, nothing will stand in your way," she told them as she looked at Cindy and walked away and back to Sayid's body.

Hurley stepped away from Sayid. "You ok?" he questioned her.

"I'm far from OK Hurley," she answered as she looked at Sawyer waking up.

"What you said to Jack, about him not gonna be happy until he sees us all buried here, you didn't mean it right?" Hurley asked concerned. "You should apologize you know? He's only trying to help us, dude."

"I meant it, Hurley. I meant every word of it," she told him as she looked over at Zach and Emma as they talked. She walked over to Jack as she sat down. "Hurley thinks I should apologize to you for what I said," she told him, as the both stared at Sayid's corpse.

"You aren't going to though," Jack told her. "I don't expect you too."

"Good, because I don't think you deserve it," she told him. "I'd be more worried about what Sawyer was going to do to you than what I am," she told him.

"Sawyer's angry because of Juliet's death, I don't blame him. I thought it was going to work," Jack stated.

"So did I Jack, so did Sayid," she told him as she wiped her eyes. "And if Emma and Zach don't come back with me, then he died for nothing."

Jack put his arm around her. "I'm so sorry, Mac. I know you don't want to hear that," he started to say.

Mac shook her head. "Yet you said it anyway," she told him. "You know what I made Sayid promise before we agreed to this?"

"No, what?" Jack questioned curiously.

"I made him promise, that if this worked, that if we landed in LAX, that somehow we would know each other, that somehow we would find each other," Mac told him as she saw someone approach them.

"You Shephard?" the man asked

"Yeah," Jack answered

"We need to speak to you privately," the other man answered.

"If you've got something to say to me then say it, otherwise just leave me alone," Jack told him.

"I don't think you're understanding me here, I'm asking politely, you either get up and come with us on your own, or I'll have ya dragged out. Because we are going to have this conversation and it's not going to be here," he told him.

Mac stood up with Jack. "I think you heard him, say it in front of all of us or get out."

Jack gets up and confrontation-ally approaches Lennon. "Is that right?" Jack questioned as he started to wrestle with several of the others.

Hurley stared at Sayid's body. "Jack!"

Mac turned around with the others to see Sayid slowly as he stirred to life.

"Oh my god," the man who approached Jack said

"Wha…" Jack started to say.

"Sayid…" Mac said amazed.

"What happened?" Sayid questioned as he sat up.


	56. Chapter 56

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 56**

Sayid sat up, obviously disoriented, Jack and Mac kneeled in front of him. Hurley ran to Sayid. Miles followed Hurley.

Mac touched his face cautiously. "Sayid…."

"It worked?" Miles asked dumbfounded.

"Dude! You're okay!" Hurley hugged Sayid.

"Hurley, let him breathe. Miles, can you go get some water?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, on it," Miles answered as he looked at Sayid cautiously before leaving.

"Sayid? You're…." Mac started to say.

"I'm what Mackenzie?" Sayid asked as he looked at her.

"Sayid, hey, how ya feelin'?" Jack questioned.

"A little light headed," Sayid answered as Jin joined them. "Jack, what happened to me?"

Mac looked at Jack. "Sayid you died. Not for a minute, not for five minutes, you were dead for over an hour."

Jack exhaled. "She's right Sayid," he acknowledged.

Sayid just looked around, Mac looked at Jack her face portraying the confusion she was feeling.

_Mac finished putting the luggage in the car, the girls getting in the back seat, Mac sat down in the passenger side hugging Jordan. "Thanks for picking us up."_

"_No problem. How's dad?" she questioned. "Hey monkey's," she acknowledged her nieces._

"_Good, we had a nice visit," Mac answered as she looked at Sofia. "Sofia you ok?"_

"_Mom, are you sure you and that guy don't know each other?" Sofia quizzed her mother._

"_What guy?" Jordan asked her sister._

"_This guy who was on our plane, he picked up Paige's book, a Middle Eastern guy, really handsome. But mom and him looked at each other like they spent a past life together or something. They were absolutely some sort of recognition there, even though they didn't say it or anything," Sofia stated._

"_My sister made a love connection?" Jordan teased._

"_He was a fellow passenger that picked up a book he saw Paige drop. He was being nice. It was nothing else," she assured them._

"_Maybe you knew him in Iraq? Some steamy love affair?" Sofia quizzed._

"_Ok no more borrowing you aunts romance novels. Sofia, I can assure you there was no steamy love affairs going on while I was in Iraq," Mac told her._

On-Island - Back at the Temple. Kate is walking down a corridor. Jack and Jin help Sayid walk out to the courtyard. Mac stays a few steps behind them.

"Easy," Jack told the group as they led him to a stone bench as they helped him sit on. Miles approached with water.

"Who are these people? What do they want?" Sayid questioned as he accepted the canteen from Miles and drinks from it.

"The same people as always," Mac answered, as she watched him.

"It's the Others, dude. They caught us," he paused, again. I dunno, I think they are trying to protect us," Hurley answered.

"Uh, as you can see, Hugo here has assumed the leadership position so that's pretty great," Miles said.

"What's up Jack?" Mac asked bending down in front the bench letting her eyes follow his to Sayid's abdomen.

"The wound," Jack said as he rolled up Sayid's shirt. "It's almost completely closed. "

Sayid rolls up the front of his shirt and looks at the gunshot wound. It looks like scar tissue and not a fresh wound. Sayid is confused. He turns to Jack. "Thank you Jack," Sayid stated.

Jack looked at Mac. "For what?"

"For saving my life," Sayid told him.

The Temple Leader briskly walks through doors from the Temple, shoved them against the outside walls. Jack stood up.

"Mr. Jarrah, will you come with us, please?" Lennon asked it being translated.

"Come with you where?" Sayid questioned him.

"Inside. Nothing to worry about we just…" he started to say.

"I'm coming with him," Jack told them standing up.

Mac stood in front of Sayid. "He's not going anywhere without me," Mac told him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. We need to talk to him alone, just a few questions," he stated.

"You have a few questions? Well, so do we. Let's start with who are you? Why are you holding us here? You …" Jack was interrupted by the temple leader speaking Japanese.

"Once we've spoken to Mr. Jarrah, we'll be more than happy to tell you everything you want to know," the translator started.

"Something tells me that you're not going to be happy telling us anything," Jack responded as he looked into the eyes of the temple leader. Jack looks into the eyes of the Temple Leader. The Temple Leader says something in Japanese. Immediately, two men with the temple leader grabbed Jack by his arms, another one grabbed Mac and pushed her out of the way. A man goes after Miles, two shots are heard.

Sawyer cocked his weapon and pointed it at them.

"Don't shoot! Lower your weapons!" Lennon translated. "He walked toward Sawyer then stopped.

"Please, you don't have to do this. We won't hurt your friend," Lennon told Sawyer.

"He ain't my friend. Do what you want with him and anybody else. But me, I'm walking out of here," Sawyer told them as Kate walked forward, he still aimed at her.

Mac followed Kate. "You going to shoot all of us Sawyer?"

"Why do you care? You should be jumping up and down for joy, the man you love just miraculously rejoined the land of the living. No better person for it though, I mean a torturer, murderer and God knows what else," Sawyer stated.

"James," Kate warned.

Mac shook her head. "Does that make you feel better Sawyer? It's not going to bring her back. But holding that gun to your friends and threatening them, isn't going to make it better."

"You're not my friend," Sawyer warned.

"I didn't say me, Sawyer, I said them," she told him.

"I'm gone! You understand?" Sawyer told them. Sawyer maintained aiming the gun as he lifts beams of wood that are barricading the large wooden doors.

"Please," the temple leader said. "You have to stay.

"No, I don't," Sawyer angrily answered. Sawyer opened the wooden door and exited the courtyard. "Don't come after me."

Mac looked at Kate. "I know he didn't say that to me," she told her as she walked away. "Please let me go with him," Mac begged as two others restrain her.

Two men are restrained Jack. He struggled to get out of their grasp, unsuccessfully. Two other men drag Miles away through a different passageway.

"Hey! Hey! Where are they taking Sayid." Mac yelled as one of the other's aimed a handgun at Jack.

"Hey! Calm down! Everybody calm down," a man warned them.

"Where'd Ford go?" Lennon questioned.

"What?" Jack questioned.

"Sawyer just left," Mac told him.

"I don't know," Jack told him.

"Do you expect me to believe that?" Lennon told him.

"He told me he wanted to kill me. You believe that?" Jack questioned back.

"I can bring him back," Kate told the Others.

"You know where he went?" Lennon questioned.

"No, but I can track him. Let me go. I will bring him back and I can make him stay," Kate told him

"Kate, you sure you want to go out there alone with these people?" Jack questioned.

"I'll go with her," Jin offered.

Mac pulled away from the others. "You want Sawyer back here?" she questioned.

"It's very important that he get back here safely," Lennon answered.

"She's not going anywhere until you take me to Sayid," Mac told him.

"He needs to be brought back," Lennon warned.

"I need to be with Sayid, so we both have something each other wants don't we?" Mac asked.

"Mac," Kate warned.

"I know exactly where he's heading Kate, so the next move is up to you Lennon," Mac told him.

Lennon looked at Mac then Kate. "What makes you think he's going to listen to you?"

"You said you know where he's going? Now is the time to tell me where Ford went," Aldo told her.

"When you take me to Sayid," she told them.

"I can track him," Kate told them.

Mac shot her a look. "It'll take time for her to track him, I can tell you exactly where he's going, you can be there before him. But the time of getting the upper hand is actually dwindling," Mac informed him as she crossed her arms.

Aldo got the attention of Cindy. "Take her to where they took Jarrah."

"Are you sure?" Cindy questioned.

"Yes I'm sure," he told her.

Jack grabbed Mac's arm. "Be careful," he warned.

Mac nodded as she followed Cindy. "How's the kids?"

"Confused," Cindy admitted as she stopped and turned and looked at her. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" Mac questioned.

"Put the idea that they can go home," Cindy told her. "They can't get off this island."

Mac looked at her. "Is that what they told you? The others? I've been off this island, I have a son, with that man who is amazingly back from the dead. I came back for them," Mac told her.

"You were happy, then why did you risk it to come back?" Cindy questioned her.

"I wasn't happy," Mac answered and looked at her. "I boarded 815 I had nothing. My daughters had been killed two years prior, I was going to a fertility clinic as a last hope to have something to live for. We crash on an island, 48 days later, we meet up with the middle section survivors, one of which is Sayid. We immediately have a connection, and someone fall in love and conceive our son. Yes then I was happy. And one of the others? Juliette? She was a fertility expert who made it possible for me to get off this island because otherwise, we would have both died. Well I got off this island, married Sayid, and had my son. But then this island, the lying, it took over. I almost ran over Zach and Emma's mother in my car. She begged me for any information I had, if I passed them in an airport, saw them on the plane, any hope whatsoever. She is holding on to any hope whatsoever that they are alive. And that is one of the worst feelings in the world Cindy! I divorced Sayid because he was doing everything he could to protect his family by working for Ben, and it destroyed us. The island wasn't done with me yet. If I can get those two home to there mother, then my job will be done. But now I have to figure out, how my dead husband magically came back from the dead," Mac answered as she walked away.


	57. Chapter 57

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 57**

_Mac sighed as she dialed her cell phone, as she put her purse on the couch._

"_You've reached the cell phone of Robert Parker, I'm sorry but I'm not available to answer your call right now. Leave your name and number and brief message and I will return it as soon as possible," the message stated._

"_Robert, it's Mac. We got back yesterday and your daughters' have been trying to call and have left messages, several, in fact. You have NOT returned there calls, to busy with one of your girlfriends to call and say hello to your children? When you take a break from your busy schedule, could you please give me a call so we can work out the schedule for the next month. Once again this is your ex wife Mac," she told the phone as she hung up._

"_Let me guess? Your stellar ex husband is ignoring your calls?" her mother asked as she came out of her room._

"_Mom, don't start. Please," she told her. _

"_Never liked him to begin with," she told her daughter._

"_Except when you first me him and he was being a good Catholic husband, and not cheating on me," Mac pointed out, as she kissed her cheek. "But I appreciate that you totally remember that I'm your daughter and need to be on my side," Mac told her._

"_You are my daughter, I will always be there for you," the older woman told her daughter. "How was your visit with your father?"_

"_I thought you told me not to tell you?" Mac asked, as she went into the refrigerator._

"_I changed my mind," she answered. "His new wife is awful right?"_

_Mac laughed. "Mom they've been married for over 5 years," she reminded her. "And she isn't awful," Mac stated as she started to fix her lunch. "The girls and I had fun visiting dad, and I just wish Jordan and Taylor would have came with me. They haven't seen dad in years."_

"_They took my side in the divorce," Abigail stated, as she sat down._

_Mac sighed. "There wasn't any side to take mom, the two of you couldn't get along and you separated and divorced."_

"_Your father wasn't in your lives for 10 years, seems to be happening to you," Abigail pointed out._

Mac walked up to the door of the temple. "Open it," Mac ordered Cindy.

"No one is allowed inside, your going to have to wait outside," she explained.

"That wasn't part of the deal," Mac told her. "Let me in," she told Cindy again.

"I can't, you'll have to stay outside. He is not being hurt," Cindy assured her.

"Forgive me for not taking you at your word," Mac stated as she stepped back and looked at the door.

"You aren't going to break it down!" Cindy yelled at her.

Mac pounded on the door. "Lennon! Open this door! I'm not telling Cindy a damn thing until you open this door and let me in! Sayid! You are not alone! I'm right here!" she yelled. "Lennon!" she screamed as she put her ear to the door, hearing Sayid scream from afar.

"Ahhhhh!" Sayid sobbed. "Ahhh! "Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"

"Lennon! We had a deal! Let me in now!" Mac screamed as she looked at Cindy. She grabbed her putting her head against the door. "Listen! Does that sound like they aren't hurting him? I need to get in the door!"

Mac pulled Cindy back as the doors opened. "You said you knew where Ford was heading, where is he?" Lennon questioned.

Mac shook her head, as she pushed Cindy aside. "The deal was Lennon that you let me in with Sayid, I've been out here for five minutes while you've been doing whatever it was you're doing. Deal off," she told him as she brushed passed him.

"You can't go back there!" Lennon instructed as he grabbed her arm. "We need to speak outside, privately. Then I swear we will take you to Sayid."

"Sayid! I'm here do you here me?" Mac screamed, then she looked at Lennon. "He answers or I don't go anywhere with you," she warned.

Lennon yelled back in Japanese to the man with Jarrah and waited for a response. "You may go to him, but we must talk before you leave the chamber," Lennon told her.

Sayid is restrained and was crying. Lennon motioned for two men to leave the chamber as Mac ran over to the table. "Sayid…"

"We're sorry we had to put you through that. It was a test. We had to be sure," Lennon told them.

"Test to be sure of what?" Sayid questioned, as Mac removed the restraints.

"Don't worry. You passed," Lennon assured him.

The two men came to help Sayid from the table to escort him from the chamber. "Get away from him!" Mac yelled. "I'll take him back to the spring!"

"You agreed to speak with us, remember?" Lennon questioned.

"Then you can follow me back, but you aren't going to touch him," she warned. "Easy, Sayid," Mac told him. "And don't tell me that you are ok," she answered.

Sayid shook his head. "That would be a lie," he answered. "I think you will need more help, Mackenzie, I can't stand," he told her.

"We'll manage, it may take a while, but we'll manage," Mac assured him, letting him lean heavily on her. "Easy," she told him as they took a break before getting to the spring. "Jack!" she called out when they got into ear shot. Hurley rushed to Sayid and her and took him.

"Sayid! You okay, man? Jack! He's back!" Hurley questioned as he looked at Mac.

Sayid grunted as he collapsed into Hurley and Miles' arms. They sat him down and leaned his back on a stone pillar. Sayid groaned in pain.

" Sayid, what happened?" Jack questioned him.

"They were torturing him. I told Lennon that I would go back and speak to him if they let me in to see him. He was strapped on a bed, I'm not sure what they had done before," Mac explained.

"You're not going back alone," Jack told Mac. "Why did they torture you Sayid?"

"Don't know. They didn't ask me any questions," Sayid answered. "Thank you for not leaving me alone Mackenzie."

Mac forced a small smile as she kissed his head. "Live together die alone," she told him.

"Let's go," Jack instructed as he nodded for Hurley and Miles to stay with Sayid.

Jack walked briskly with Mac and stopped in front of a doorway that is guarded by 2 armed men. "Step aside," he instructed as the two men allowed Jack and Mac to pass.

"Jack, something's wrong with Sayid, there's something…missing. I don't know how to explain," she told him.

"We'll figure it out, together ok?" Jack assured her.

_Mac walked into the police station and went to the front desk. "Excuse me?"_

_A blond man turned and walked to the desk. "Detective James Ford, what can I help you with?"_

"_I got a call that my ex husband that he was involved in a hit and run accident last night," Mac explained._

"_What's your husband's name?" Ford questioned._

"_Ex husband. His name is Robert Parker," Mac told him._

"_Says here, short stuff, that he was drinking and driving with no proof of insurance," the detective explained. "You here to bail him out?"_

"_No, I'm here to bail out my car," she told him._

"_Talk about a woman scorned," he told her. "Can't release the car just yet Mrs. Parker. Regretting giving him permission to use your car?"_

"_Grayson, Mackenzie Grayson," she corrected the detective. "I was in Australia with my daughters until yesterday, so he definitely did not have permission to use my car," she told him._

"_Small world, I just got back from Australia yesterday. Oceanic 815?" he questioned._

"_Yeah….." she told him. "Give my ex a message. Tell him I'll get my car out of impound, he can stay in jail," as she walked out._

Jack and Mac entered the chamber. The Temple leader stopped for a moment, Lennon is off to the side near a bookcase. He is standing with an open book in his right hand.

"Hey, Shephard, Grayson," Lennon greeted as he closed the book and walked toward the temple leader. "We were hoping you'd come on your own,"

"What the hell did you do to Sayid?" Jack ordered.

"We, we didn't do anything to him. Your, your friend is sick," Lennon explained.

"He looks pretty healthy for someone who rose from the dead. Well that is before you got your hands on him," Mac pointed out.

"Mac," Jack warned. "Sick with what?"

Lennon looked at the temple leader translating. "He's yeah, I,, well, not really ,there's not really a literal translation. The closest thing would be infected."

"Infected? He's not even running a fever," Jack asked confused.

The temple leader laughed as Jack walked over to him. "Did I say something funny?"

"I doubt it. He doesn't really have a sense of humor," Lennon explained as the temple leader smiled and wrapped a capsule in a piece of paper as he handed Jack the paper.

"He says you have to give your friend this pill," Lennon told them.

"What is that?" Mac asked.

Jack laughed. "Are you serious? Why don't you give it to him?"

"Because it won't work unless he takes it willingly, and he won't take it willingly from us," Lennon pointed out.

Mac took the paper out of Jack's hand, and unwrapped it.

"Well, then maybe you should've asked him to take it before you tortured him," Jack pointed out.

"We didn't torture him, we were diagnosing him," Lennon pointed out.

"To see if he was infected," Mac finished the thought.

"Yes," Lennon stated as he looked at her. "You are his wife?"

"Yes," Mac answered as she looked at the pill.

"I'm not gonna give anything to Sayid unless I know what's in it," Jack told them. "Come on Mac," Jack instructed as he walked out of the chamber as Lennon started to follow him but the team leader stopped him.

"Tell me, Shephard, your friend, how did he get shot?" the temple leader stated.

"He was, um, he was helping me," Jack explained.

"So it was your fault?" he answered.

"Yes," Jack answered.

"No, it wasn't," Mac intervined.

"And there have been others who were hurt or died, helping you?" the other man asked as he ignored Mac.

"Yes," Jack answered.

"Well, this is your chance to redeem yourself. It's medicine and your friend needs it," the temple leader insisted.

"What happens if I don't give it to him?" Jack questioned him.

"The infection will spread," the temple leader told him.


	58. Chapter 58

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 58**

**Sorry this one is so short, the next one is longer.**

Mac walked out of the temple with him. "Jack, you aren't seriously thinking about giving Sayid that pill?"

Jack shook his head. "I don't know what to think. What I do know, is that I don't trust them," Jack told her. "You have any idea what this may be?" Jack questioned.

"I have my suspicion," Mac admitted, running her hand through her hair.

"What?" Jack questioned, as he stopped and looked at her.

"Cyanide. Some of us were issued capsules very similar like this in the Army when we were in Iraq. I wasn't personally, it was for higher ups in case they got captured. It may not be cyanide, it may be something else, still as deadly. But my spidey senses are tingling and I think they want you to kill Sayid," Mac stated as she looked at him.

"I had the same feeling. You said it yourself that you feel as that isn't Sayid, not really," he told her.

"You're right but that doesn't me that I want to poison him," she told him as they walked back to the spring chamber.

"You're not a zombie, right?" Hurley questioned Sayid.

"No. I am not a zombie," Sayid answered as they turned hearing Jack and Mac approach.

"Hey," Miles greeted.

Jack reached for a canteen. "Mind giving me and Sayid a minute?"

"Yeah, see, private talks kinda freak me out 'cause they lead me to having to do something I don't quite understand," Hurley interjected.

"I'm right there with you," Jack agreed.

"Its fine. We'll be in the food court if you need us," Miles told him. "Mac you coming or staying?"

Mac looked at Jack. "I'm staying," she answered.

Jack sat and took a drink from a canteen. He offered the canteen to Sayid who motioned no. He passed the canteen to Mac.

"So did they tell you why they burnt me with a hot poker?" Sayid asked.

"They said they were trying to diagnose you," Jack explained as he looked at Mac.

"Right, they told me it was some sort of test which they said I passed. Clearly, I didn't," Sayid responded.

"Show him," Jack told Mac as she unfolded the paper.

"What's that?" Sayid questioned as he looked at them.

"They want you to take it, it's medicine, according to them," Jack stated.

"What about according to you?" the other man asked.

"I don't know, Mac has an opinion," he offered.

"What is it Mackenzie?" Sayid questioned.

Mac looked at him as she started to say something before she stopped herself. "I think it's a cyanide pill," she explained.

"And you know, before when you when you thanked me for saving your life, I, I didn't have anything to do with it Sayid. I didn't fix you. They did," Jack told him.

"I don't care who fixed me. I only care about who I trust. So, if you want me to take that pill, Jack, I'll do it," Sayid looked at him then at Mac.

Mac looked at Jack handing him the capsule, Jack closed his hand and looked at Sayid. "Mac stay with Sayid," Jack instructed as he got up.

"Jack where are you going?" Mac questioned. "You shouldn't be going anywhere alone."

"Just stay with Sayid," Jack repeated again as he walked away.

Mac looked after him as she shook her head.

"You wanted to say something to me before Mackenzie. What was it?" Sayid questioned.

Mac looked at him. "Do you realize you haven't touched me, you haven't kissed me, and you've called me nothing but Mackenzie since your resurrection Sayid?"

"Why are you calling it a resurrection?" Sayid questioned, as he hesitantly took her hand.

"Sayid, did you not hear what I told you earlier? You were dead for an hour maybe longer. In my head I was figuring out how to tell our son you were dead. So I'm not sure what other kind of word you'd use but resurrection, if you got a better word, then please tell me…." she pleaded with him.

"Do you want me to take the pill?" Sayid questioned.

Mac looked at him. "How could you ask me that question Sayid?" she asked, the hurt evident in her voice. "What's wrong with you Sayid? I need to know so I can help you."

Sayid shook his head. "I do not know Mackenzie," he answered.

_Jordan looked up as Mac opened the passenger side of her car, as she got in in front of the police station. "So you getting your car back?"_

"_No…" she answered distractedly._

"_Hey what's wrong?" Jordan asked as she started to pull out of the parking lot._

"_The detective, Ford, he was on 815 a couple days ago," Mac answered._

"_Now how in the world did you find that out?" her sister questioned._

"_It came up that I was in Australia and when Robert stole my car and the Detective said had just came back from Australia and we both were on 815," Mac explained as she looked out the window._

"_I know that look, your spidey sense is going. First that guy that picked up Paige's book, now this Detective, what's going on?" Jordan questioned._

"_What do you mean? Nothing. Just a small world," she stated._

"_Really? It looks to me like you're trying to place them, like you know them," Jordan pointed out._

_Mac laughed. "Please, I've never met either one of them before. Don't try to read something into it. There's nothing there. Let's go," Mac instructed, as she looked out the window._

Mac looked up from where she was sitting as Jack and Sayid were talking, and Sayid took off alone. "Sayid! Jack where is he going?"

"Let him go," Jack told her.

"Let him go? Jack where is he going? They just tried to kill him, they gave us a pill to finish the job and you say just to let him go? What did they tell you when you went back?" Mac demanded to know.

Jack looked at her. "They confirmed it was poison," he admitted. "And that him coming back alive, it isn't the first person it happened too."

"Who was the other person Jack? Who was the person it happened too?" she questioned.

Jack shook his head. "Don't worry about it," he told her.

"Jack who was it?" Mac yelled at him.

"They didn't tell me ok?" Jack asked.

"Why don't I believe you?" she asked. "You know what Jack, don't tell me," she told him as she walked off.


	59. Chapter 59

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 59 **

**Authors note: I debated long and hard how Mac would remember, and was quite upset that they did not do a lot with the tailies in the series except Libby remembering. So it makes perfect sense that a fellow tailie helps her remember and not Sayid because the 48 days were important.**

Mac looked up as Sayid came back from the temple and grabbed his backpack. She looked at Miles, before she walked up to him. "Sayid where are you going?"

"What are you doing?" Miles questioned.

"I'm leaving, I've been banished," Sayid answered.

"What do you mean banished?" Mac questioned. "You can't just leave."

"Banished? For what?" Miles asked.

"Apparently I'm evil. These people say I'm better off dead. Which is surprising, considering they were the ones who saved my life," he informed them.

Mac looked at Miles. "Well, actually, they're not. They...they tried to save you, but...you were dead man. For two hours. Trust me when…when you sat up they were just as surprised as the rest of us. So whatever brought you back, it wasn't them," Miles told him.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Mac told him. "You were dead. I took your wedding ring off; I was planning on how to tell our son you were dead. I don't know what they are telling you," She told him, "but you aren't evil," Mac told him as she touched his face.

Sayid removed her hand. "They tell me that I am Mackenzie," he told her.

Mac looked at him, meeting his eyes. "Sayid….what…." she asked as she spotted someone entering the temple. "Claire?"

Claire entered the Temple, her hands above her head…the others aim guns at her.

"Stop it, put them down!" Mac ordered.

"Hold it…" a other told her.

"Stop! Don't shoot her. What are you doing here?" Lennon questioned as Dogen approached her.

"He wants to see you," Claire told Dogen, who responded in Japanese. "Speak English."

"Who wants to see me?" Dogen responded.

"You know who," Claire responded.

"If he wants to see me, then tell him to come in," Dogen told him.

"No, he wants you to go to him. He's waiting outside beyond the outer wall," Claire told him.

"I'm not a fool. If I step outside this temple, he'll kill me," Dogen told her.

"Well, then maybe you should send someone he won't kill," Claire responded as she turned to leave.

"Stop her!" Dogen responded as others grabbed Claire.

"Hey let her go!" Mac responded, as she rushed forward. "Claire!" she yelled as a gun was pointed at her.

"Put the girl in the hole until this is resolved. Then bring Shephard and Reyes to my room immediately," Dogen responded.

"Uh, that's gonna be a little difficult. We can't find them," Lennon told her.

"Look. Harder!" he ordered as they took Claire away.

"Where are they taking her?" Mac ordered.

"Do not worry about her," Dogen told her. "Come with me," he addressed Sayid.

"I thought you wanted me to leave," Sayid told him.

"Things have changed," Dogen told him. "You come too."

"I was going to come anyway," Mac told Dogen as they followed him into his rooms.

"Your friends, Shephard and Reyes. Do you know where they went?" Dogen asked.

"No I don't," Sayid answered.

Mac shook her head. "They talked privately, and left," she told him as Dogen took out a wooden box.

"Why is Claire here? And what was she talking about?" Sayid questioned.

"Where are you taking her?" Mac questioned.

"She's a confused girl, under the influence of an angry man," Dogen told them.

"What man?" both Sayid and Mac questioned.

"For years, he has been trapped, but now Jacob is gone, he's free. This man will not stop until he has destroyed every living thing on this island. He is evil incarnate," Dogen informed him.

"And you want me to speak to him?" Sayid questioned.

"Why would we do anything for you?" Mac asked him.

"No. I want you to kill him. He will come to you as someone you know, someone who has died. As soon as you see him…" Dogen unsheathed a dagger. "Plunge this deep into his chest. If you allow him to speak, it is already too late."

Mac looked at him. "Are you insane? He's not going to do that. Sayid you aren't going to do it. You aren't, are you?"

Sayid ignored her and looked at him. "Since I've been here, I've been drowned, beaten, and tortured...at your hands. Why would I ever do anything for you?"

"You said that there is still good in your soul…" Dogen handed Sayid the dagger, "...then prove it."

"Sayid, put that down, you aren't going to do his bidding," she told him. She looked at him. "No….no, you got to be kidding," Mac told him, as she shook her head. "I'm not going to watch you destroy yourself," she told him, as she shook her head leaving.

_Mac stopped running in front of the church, taking a breath as she climbed the stairs to get in from the rain. She closed her eyes; scenes from other rain storms in an unfamiliar yet familiar place flooded her. Mac walked into the church taking a breath._

"_Ah Mackenzie, I wondered how long it would take you to come here," the black priest greeted. _

"_I am not sure what you mean Father Tunde," Mac answered as she crossed herself._

"_You tell yourself that, as I did, but you are starting to see flashes, flashes of a jungle, rain, beaches, people that are familiar yet unfamiliar," the man told her._

"_I don't know what you're talking about," Mac told him, as she started to get up._

"_You are having flashes, flashes of a different life. Something or someone jogged your memory, but you do not want to let go of what you created for yourself. A life with your daughters," the man explained. "It is easy to stay in this life, but you will see your daughters again, but you must remember what you are seeing," he explained._

"_I have to go," Mac told him going to the door._

"_Have you ever thought about why you chose my church to become a member of? What drew you here? Our paths crossed before, Mackenzie, in another life. I was an important part of that life, but so were other people," he told her. "Why did you come here tonight? What led you here?"_

_Mac took a breath wiping tears from her eyes, as she looked at the stick in the corner, going over to it, picking it up, the flashes coming quicker. "Eko….." Mac whispered._

_Eko nodded as he went over and hugged her. "It is alright."_

Miles looked at her. "You don't think you should go after him?"

"Why?" Mac questioned as she looked up at him.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe to stop him from doing something incredibly stupid?" Miles questioned.

"Taking that dagger from the temple leader pretty well hits right up there with stupid," Mac stated. "Even though I want to help him, he's pretty well decided that he in no way needs my help and whatever happened to him, well, that's not the Sayid I know and fell in love with." Mac looked up as Kate walked in.

"Kate," Mac greeted as she approached them.

"Wow," Miles greeted.

"It's good to see you too Miles," Kate told him. "Hey Mac you know Sayid is out there right?"

"I know," Mac answered solemnly.

"Sawyer sent you packing huh? I thought about going after him too. But, um, I knew he'd just end up berating me until I turned around and came back. That pretty much what happened?" Miles questioned.

"Pretty much," Kate answered.

"Well, welcome back to the circus," Miles informed her.

"What's going on in here?" Kate questioned.

"Well, let's see, oh...that Australian chick's back," Miles answered.

"Wait, what?" Kate quizzed.

"Claire, her name is Claire, Miles," Mac corrected him.

"Right, Claire. She just strolled in here a couple hours ago, acting all weird. Still hot though," Miles answered.

"Miles," Mac quipped at him.

"Miles, where is she? Mac?" Kate asked.

"They took her," Mac answered, as she nodded at Lennon. "They wouldn't tell us where."

"They'll tell me," Kate stated as she started to turn to go.

"I'm going with you," Mac stated as she got up. "You came back to get her didn't you, so you could reunite Claire with Aaron?"

Kate nodded. "I'm not going anywhere without Claire."

Mac looked at Cindy and the kids. "Go get Claire," Mac told Kate.

_Mac sat down in the pew as she looked at Eko. "Have you talked with anyone else?"_

"_Libby, she was the second one of us to remember," Eko told her. "She saw Hurley on television, it triggered her memory. What triggered yours?"_

"_Sayid," Mac answered. "Paige and Sofia were on the plane with me, Paige dropped a book, and Sayid handed it to her. Even on the flight, it seemed like something was wrong. Then I saw Sawyer, and the flashes started to become more prominent. It seems like I've been coming to this church forever, that you've been my Priest forever."_

"_In your reality, I have been, but it may have been a few days, or years, there is no way of knowing. We were all important to each other, and to move on, we must remember each other. I have attempted to try and connect with Ana Lucia several times, but she was not ready. You were not ready, until in your reality our flight landed in LAX, and you met Sayid. Love is a very powerful thing, Mackenzie. That moment, that instant, where your paths met, that triggered your memory, but you did not want to let go because of your daughters. They will be there with you. It was on the island, it was Sayid that helped you find peace."_

"_So now I have to trigger Sayid's memories….so we can move on together, with everyone else," Mac stated._

"_You will not be alone, Desmond, Hurley, Libby, they will help," Eko told her._

Mac looked at Miles as Sayid returned. "He's back."

"There is a man in the jungle... about a mile south of us by the outer wall. He sent me back here to give you a message. He wants you to know that Jacob is dead. And because he's gone, none of you have to stay here anymore, you're free," Sayid informed them.

Cindy held Zack and Emma as she listened curiously.

"The man that I met is leaving the island forever. And those of you, who want to go with him, should leave the temple and join him. You have until sundown to decide," Sayid continued.

"What happens at sundown if we stay?" Cindy questioned.

"You die," Sayid told them his voice very eerie.

Sayid walked through the courtyard as the Temple dwellers scurry in all directions.

Mac pushed her way over to Sayid. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Everybody calm down! It's gonna be okay! No, no! Wait! Hang on!" Lennon yelled at them. "Hey! Hey, you created a panic here! Our people are leaving!"

"I was asked to deliver a message. And that's what I did. What your people do now is up to them," Sayid told him. "I would leave if I was you Mackenzie. You do not want to be here."

Mac looked at Sayid. "You know what Sayid, you don't get to tell me what to do right now. I don't know what's going on with you, but you are not Sayid, you are not my Sayid," she told him as she looked at him. "Leave me alone….." she told him as she backed away from him. "Cindy! Wait!"

"It's not safe here, not with Jacob dead, he can't protect us," Cindy told her, as she took the children. "I'm sorry Mac," she told her as she left with the children.

Mac shook her head as she walked over to Miles. "Where is he going?" Mac questioned Miles.

"Remember when I asked you earlier if you might want to go stop Sayid from doing something incredibly stupid?" Miles asked her.

"Yes," Mac answered.

"He's on his way to do something more incredibly stupid. We should probably go now," Miles told her. "You think you should go follow him now?"

Mac looked at him. "Miles, if you ask me that one more time, I'm going to punch you."


	60. Chapter 60

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 60**

Mac looked up as Kate walked in from seeing Claire. Mac looked up as the smoke monster came over the temple walls. "Kate!" she screamed.

"We gotta go now," Kate yelled as the smoke monster began his attack on the Temple dwellers. "Run! Run! Run!"

"This way!" Miles instructed as they entered the temple as the monster continued to slaughter the dwellers.

"Zach, Emma! I have to get them," Mac screamed.

"They left with Cindy, it's too late!" Miles yelled at her. "This way! This way!"

"I have to go get Claire!" Kate yelled as she turned to go in the direction she came.

"Kate!" Mac yelled after her.

"Help me!" Miles yelled as he attempted to hold the temple door shut but it's forced open.

"Where are Shephard and Reyes? And Ford?" the woman asked as she came in.

"Who the hell are you?" Miles questioned.

"Just answer the question!" the woman yelled.

"You're the woman who handcuffed Sayid and got him on that plane, you're the one who brought him back," Mac told him.

"They're gone, everyone's gone. Mac and I are the only two left," Miles told her. "We got separated from Kate," Miles told her as Frank, Sun and Ben entered the room.

"The bad penny returns," Mac stated as Ben entered the room.

"Lapidus? How did you..." Miles started to question.

"We'll play catch up later. You wanna live; you better move your ass!" Frank ordered.

"What about Jarrah? Is he here?" Ilana questioned.

"Yeah, he was headed to the pool room," Miles answered, as he exchanged glances with Mac.

"Mac you better go get him," Ben told her.

Mac shook her head. "That isn't Sayid," she told him.

"She keeps saying that," Miles noted.

"I'll go get him," Ben yelled as he darted out of the room

"Linus, wait! Alright... the rest of you with me, come on!" Ilana ordered.

Mac followed Ilana with Frank, Miles and Sun.

"Where's your husband?" Miles questioned Sun.

"What?" Sun asked.

"Your husband, he took off yesterday," Miles told her.

"Jin was here? He's alive? Mac?" Sun asked in amazement.

"Yeah, he was here," Mac answered.

Frank watched as Ilana examined hieroglyphics on the wall. The smoke monster howled nearby.

"You do hear that, right? You got a plan or are you gonna keep staring at the wall?" Frank quizzed Ilana.

Ilana pressed a specific brick and it sunk into the wall. "Yes, I have a plan," she stated as a passageway opened. "Everybody inside, now!" she ordered. They all went inside, as they smoke monster passed them.

Mac looked at the woman. "Ilana right?" she questioned.

"Yeah, that's right," she answered.

"Thanks," she told her as she swung her right fist into her nose.

"Hey!" Frank yelled at her as he pulled her off the other woman. "If you didn't notice, she just saved your ass."

"Yeah I noticed, I also noticed that she was the one that put Sayid in handcuffs and put him on the plane to get him back to this forsaken island. So what ever happened to him, it's her fault," Mac told Frank. "This isn't over," Mac warned Ilana.

_Mac smiled as she walked out of the church. "Libby!" she greeted._

"_Welcome home," the blond woman greeted hugging her._

"_Hey what am I chopped liver?" Hurley questioned as he hugged her._

"_How many of us remember?" Mac questioned._

"_Not a lot," Libby admitted._

"_And, not everyone that was on the original flight wound up on the alternate flight, like Shannon," Hurley told her. "Just like your daughters, well, you know, they were, well…."_

"_Dead, Hurley you can say the word, my daughters were dead when we crashed. But in my reality, I made them alive," Mac answered._

"_Right dead," Hurley answered._

"_God I missed you Hurley," Mac told him as she hugged him again. "So Desmond is helping?"_

"_Yeah, he's helping. Think he's talking to Charlie right now," Hurley responded._

"_So, we need to somehow get Shannon here, get her and Nathan together so they can remember. Sayid," Mac stated._

"_Desmond has Boone working on getting Shannon back her and we'll just go talk to Desmond and see how we can get Sayid's memory jogged," Hurley told her._

Mac carried a torch, bringing up the rear of the group as Ben approached the group from the other side.

"Where's Jarrah?" Ilana demanded.

"I'm fine, thank you," Ben answered.

"Where is he?" Ilana questioned again.

"Considering that he just killed Dogen, I don't think he's going to be joining us," Ben answered.

Mac approached from the rear, holding the torch up.

"Who's Dogen?" Sun questioned.

"The guy in charge at the Temple," Miles answered.

"Yeah, he killed the interpreter too," Ben added. "Sorry Mac."

"Yeah I'm sure you are Ben," Mac answered.

"Are you sure?" Ilana demanded.

"He was standing over their dead bodies holding a bloody dagger, so yeah, I'm pretty sure," Ben told her.

Sun turned to Ilana. "You said we would be safe at the Temple!"

"That's what I was told..." Ilana told her.

"It's not her fault," Mac told Sun.

"Thank you," Ilana told Mac.

"This wasn't your fault. But Sayid being back on this island, doing what he did, that's your fault. So don't thank me," Mac told them, as she looked into the jungle.

"Well, what about the beach?" Ben asked.

"What beach?" Ilana questioned him.

"Where we buried Locke, where they lived," Ben stated.

"Where we lived and where you made our lives a living hell you mean?" Mac challenged Ben.

"That was a lifetime ago, Mackenzie, aren't you ever going to forgive me for that?" Ben questioned.

"No," Mac simply answered.

"At least we'll have the water at our backs and its familiar territory. Anybody else got a better idea?" Ben asked.

"No, the beach it is," Ilana answered.

"That way!" Sun instructed.

"Move," Ilana ordered.

Mac shook her head, as she carried up the rear.

"You gonna jump down my throat if I ask you if you are ok?" Frank questioned, staying back with her.

"Been a rough couple of days," she admitted.

"Back at the temple, you said that wasn't Sayid, and when Linus told us that he found him over the bodies, you didn't look surprised. I've seen you and Sayid, and no matter what the two of you would stick out your necks for each other, die for each other, how did you know?" Frank asked her as they walked.

Mac looked at him. "He died, Frank and I mean he was dead for an hour maybe two," Mac answered him.

"She's right, it was a bit freaky," Miles called back.

"Hey private conversation," Frank told him. "Keep walking."

"He wasn't the same. He called me Mackenzie, he never called me Mackenzie in the three years we knew each other except to get my attention, or when he was frustrated with me," she told him. "He pulled my hand away both times I tried to touch him, and there was….his eyes, they was nothing behind them Frank. No matter what I did, I couldn't reach him. Even off the island, and he was working for Ben, I could tell he knew what he was doing was wrong, that he regretted it, but not this time. It was like he was gone totally from me and everyone else," Mac told him.

"Hey, if anyone can get to Sayid, you can," Frank assured her as they got to the clearing to the beach.

Mac shook her head. "Three years ago, 48 days after 815 crashed, I met him, right over there," she nodded to the discarded luggage. "And if you had told me that before today, I would have believed you Frank but now, I'm not too sure," Mac told him.

Frank looked at her. "Hey don't you give up hope on him ok? I've never seen two people be able to get through more adversity and find each other again than you two. You may be mad at Ilana and Ben, but don't let that anger cloud your judgment," Frank warned her.

"If you're asking me not to be mad at Ben, well that shipped sailed a long time ago. That trek we just took? It's not the first time I walked through that jungle. I crashed on the other side of this island, with 21 other people, including two children," Mac explained as she looked at Ben. "He had someone infiltrate us, Goodwin. Goodwin gave him a list of our names, and some of us were taken our first night on this island, 9 days later more of us were taken including the children. On our way here, Cindy was kidnapped by them. Her and the kids they were at the temple, I came back for the kids, guess I failed in that department," Mac told him. "Then we captured him, and I stopped Sayid from killing him, because I didn't want him to live with that," Mac gave a small laugh. "So you could say everything Ben did, including indirectly killing Ana and Libby, kidnapping Jack, Sawyer, Kate and myself, holding us captive, and making Sayid work for him, well you could say that was my fault," Mac stated as she shook her head.


	61. Chapter 61

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 61**

Mac looked out from the tent she shared with Ilana and Sun as they talked, reading Ilana's lips. "What do you mean candidates? What are we candidates for?" Mac questioned as she approached them.

"How did you hear from that far away?" Ilana demanded.

"Didn't need to hear, I can read lips. Sun what is she talking about?" Mac questioned.

"To replace Jacob," Sun explained.

"What do you mean candidates to replace Jacob?" Mac questioned.

"If you're the one selected, I imagine you'll find out," Ilana told them.

"Wait... you said candidates. How many are there?" Sun questioned.

"Six, there are only six left," Ilana answered solemnly.

Mac glanced at Sun. "Sun do me a favor, give Ilana and I a moment alone."

"Mac I need to find Jin!" the other woman exclaimed.

"Hey, do you trust me?" Mac questioned her.

Sun nodded. "Yes."

"I got Jin back to you once, didn't I? Trust me, Sun, give Ilana and I a few minutes alone," she told the other woman as she watched Sun get up and leave.

"Don't try to talk me into letting her go look for her husband, I need them both," Ilana told her.

"But you don't need me, do you?" Mac questioned as she watched Ilana.

"I don't know what you mean," Ilana answered.

"When you entered the temple, you asked for Shephard, Reyes, and Ford," Mac told her as she held up her fingers. "That's 3, Jin and Sun, 4 and 5, and it's not hard to guess that Sayid's number 6," she informed her. "You handcuffed him, you made sure he was on that plane, you asked where Jarrah was, and you asked Ben if he was sure he killed Dogan and his assistant, so he's the 6th. So Jack, Hurley, Sawyer, Jin, Sun and Sayid, are all on your list for candidates," Mac told her as she looked at her.

"You're a Jarrah too," the other woman reminded her.

Mac gave a small smile. "You know what all 6 of them have in common? They were all on 815, and when we crashed on this island, I wasn't a Jarrah I was a Grayson. You didn't ask for Kate or me, so I take it we somehow never made the list, or we are somehow unworthy," Mac told her. "So which is it?"

"You were both crossed off, I don't know why," Ilana informed her.

"Well, that's good to know, so I can walk out of here and you'd have no reason to stop me," Mac told her.

"You really gonna walk out of here, unarmed, ready to go after a man who you say isn't your husband and another man that means nothing to you?" Ilana questioned.

"You and I both know a gun isn't going to protect me from that thing that killed everyone at the temple," Mac pointed out. "But you need Sayid, right?"

Ilana looked at her. "Yes."

"Then I'm your only hope on that front because if anyone can get through to Sayid, I can. And for Jin not meaning anything to me? You really underestimate the fact that we survived a plane crash together, and we were on this island for quite a while. I really don't give a damn about your list of candidates and what you came back here for, we all had reasons returning to this island. All of us but Sayid, he didn't have a choice. Sun and Jin are my friends; you mean absolutely positively nothing to me. And I don't plan to be unarmed; I plan to take that pistol you have in the back of your pants. Now how you give it to me that is all up to you," Mac told her, standing up. "I've got all the time in the world, but more time they are out there alone, the more chance you have at failing. One out of six, that's a pretty low average. And if Sun decides to leave, which she will, you'll have zero of the six. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes," Mac told her as she walked away.

_Mac leaned from the back seat of the vehicle, so she could talk with Hurley and Libby. "Eko said that he tried to talk with Ana several times and that she wasn't ready yet, what did he mean?"_

"_She isn't ready to move on," Libby told her._

"_But what does that mean?" Mac questioned. "How can we help her move on?"_

"_If she isn't ready to deal with her past, she can't move on," Hurley explained. "You weren't ready, until now."_

"_I'm not happy that she isn't going to move on with us either, but we have others that we need to help move on," Libby told her._

"_You and I haven't tried," Mac told her._

"_What?" Libby questioned._

"_You and I haven't talked with her. There was a reason that we both went to Eko's church and remembered. I talked with Ana, on Flight 815, the one that landed in our reality? That didn't happen before in the one that crashed. If anyone can help her remember it's us, Libby. Those 48 days mattered, they were important, and they only happened to a handful of us," Mac pointed out._

_Hurley looked at Libby. "It sounds crazy enough that it may work."_

"_We don't have a lot of time; we need to make contact with Desmond. We need to find out where Sayid is," Libby reminded her._

"_Sayid's with Nadia, if he has unfinished business, it's her," Mac assured them. "Hurley can find out what we need to do, we all have other people to connect right? So you and I go talk to Ana, it doesn't have to be a long drawn out conversation, just has to be the right one," Mac explained._

Mac looked back at Ilana before she moved to Ben as she looked down at the grave he was digging. "Got to give it to her that I would never have thought for you to dig your own grave," Mac told him.

"You aren't going to let her kill me are you?" Ben questioned.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't?" Mac responded.

"You aren't going to let her kill an innocent man, Mac. You aren't going to stand by and let her kill someone in cold blood. You couldn't let Sayid do it, and you aren't going to let her do it, I know you," Ben told her.

Mac stood up. "You're right Ben, I wouldn't let her kill an innocent man, and when she makes an innocent man dig his grave, I'll stop her," Mac told him as she kicked dirt back on the grave. She walked over to Sun as she bent down. "Hey, Sun how are you doing?"

"Are you going to find Jin?" Sun questioned her.

"I'm working on it," she answered.

"By just sitting here? I'm just sitting here Mac," Sun asked her voice full of confusion.

"Hey, don't give up on me, it's got to the right time," Mac told her.

"Why should I trust you anyway Mac? He isn't your husband; you had Sayid off the island. He was there when your son was born; he was by your side. You are just using Jin for an excuse so you can look at Sayid. She thinks you're a candidate too," Sun challenged.

Mac shook her head. "I'm going to ignore that first part of that statement because you are talking out of hurt and guilt, I get that. But that second part of the statement, you're wrong. I'm not a candidate, when she's talking about Jarrah, she's talking about Sayid. She doesn't care if I walk out of here, but I'm not going unarmed. She has a gun, besides the rifle," Mac told her. "You're going to have to trust me," Mac told her as she looked up as Ben started to run in the jungle with Ilana following him. "Stay here," she instructed the other woman as she ran after them. Mac stopped as Ben pointed a rifle at Ilana.

"Drop it! Put the gun down!" her ordered as she dropped it.

Mac came out of the trees with her hand raised. "She has a gun in the back of her pants," she informed Ben.

"Really?" Ilana questioned as she got it out of the back of her pants, throwing it down.

"What are you waiting for?" Ilana quizzed Ben.

"I want to explain," Ben told her. "Mac you can pick up the gun and leave."

Mac picks up the gun, placing it in the back of her jeans. "I'd kinda like to stick around if you don't mind."

"Explain what?" Ilana demanaed

"I want to explain that I know what you're feeling," Ben told her.

"You have no idea what I'm feeling," Ilana assured him as Mac watched them.

"I watched my daughter Alex die in front of me. And it was my fault; I had a chance to save her. But I chose the island over her; it was all in the name of Jacob. I sacrificed everything for him. And he didn't even care. Yeah I stabbed him, I was... so angry...confused...I was terrified that I was about to lose the only thing that had ever mattered to me - my power. But the thing that really mattered was already gone. I'm sorry that I killed Jacob. I am, and I do not expect you to forgive me because...I can never forgive myself," Ben explained.

"Then what do you want?" Ilana questioned him.

"Just let me leave," Ben pleaded with her.

"Where will you go?" Ilana questioned him.

"To Locke," Ben answered.

"Why?" the woman asked.

"Because he's the only one that'll have me," Ben told her.

"I'll have you," Ilana informed him as she turned to walk the way she came.

"Ben, that's the first time I ever heard you express guilt over anything you've ever done," Mac stated as she grabbed his arm.

"You sound surprised," Ben told her.

"You never gave me a reason to think you had a heart," Mac informed him. "Locke he came to you as the black smoke? Does he have Sayid?"

"I'm a parent the same way you are," Ben told her. "I lost a daughter just like you lost yours. Yes, I let Alex get killed and I did nothing to stop it," Ben acknowledged. "But your daughters' deaths weren't your fault, yet you still felt guilty, so yes I feel guilt because I didn't prevent Alex's death," Ben told her. "I don't know if Locke has Sayid, but it's a pretty good guess that he does. You aren't going in there alone are you? You know that isn't Sayid," Ben told her. "And you know the only thing that's going to accomplish Mackenzie? Going there alone?"

"What?" Mac questioned as she looked at him.

"Your son is going to be an orphan," Ben told her as he walked away.

_Mac jumped out of the back of the car and looked at Libby. "Ready?" _

"_Ready," the other woman stated._

"_Desmond said he'll be here to pick you up in 30 minutes, no more. If it can't be done by that time, then you're just going to have to leave it Mac," Hurley reminded her._

"_I know Hurley, I know," Mac assured him. "If I miss the time table to connect with Sayid, then I may not get another one, I get it," Mac assured him. "Let's go," Mac told Libby as they walked across to the street to diner Ana was eating lunch at. "Hello again, mind if we sit down?" she questioned as she sat down._

"_Well thanks for waiting for an answer," Ana stated. "As a matter of fact, I do mind," she told her. "Don't I know you?"_

"_We met on 815, but we knew each other before. All of us did," Mac informed her._

"_Must not be that memorable, because I don't remember," Ana told them._

_Libby looked at Mac. "It was a long time ago; it took us a little bit to remember too."_

"_Look I don't know what you two want, or what it is you're selling, but you two need to get up before I arrest you," Ana warned._

"_Come on Mac, you need to be somewhere other than jail. You know what's at stake," Libby warned. _

_Mac stood up. "Sorry to bother you Ana, no hard feelings right?" Mac stated as she held out her hand._

"_Yeah, fine," Ana responded as she shook it._

_Mac looked at her eyes to see if there was any recognition. "It was nice seeing you again, Ana," Mac stated as she left with Libby. "I hope it goes better with Sayid."_

"_Ana held a lot of things back when we crashed, she never made a connection like we did, and she didn't have the time to come to terms with her past," Libby explained. _

Mac heard a noise behind her and turned. "Come out, hands up!" she ordered as she held the gun up.

"Mac don't shoot, it's us!" Jack yelled as he came out of the clearing.

"Mac you made it out of the temple alive!" Hurley exclaimed as he hugged her. "Sayid?"

"He made it out, but he isn't with us. Whatever happened to him, it's not Sayid," Mac informed them. "What are you two doing here?"

"We're going back to where it all started," Jack told her.

"The beach?" Mac questioned. "You aren't the only one that had that idea. Ben brought Ilana, Frank, Miles, Sun and I there."

"What are you doing out here alone?" Jack questioned.

"I promised Sun I'd find Jin, and bring him back. And I want to try and get through to Sayid," Mac informed them.

"You know Sayid and Jin are both replacements for Jacob right?" Hurley questioned. "Sorry that your name is crossed off."

"Doesn't bother me," she assured them. "I know that how do you?"

"Richard told us," Jack informed her. "Come back to the beach, let's figure this out together. We need to find everyone; all of us need to get back home."


	62. Chapter 62

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 62**

Sun looked at Mac as she sat down with Jack and Hurley. "I thought you were going after Jin."

"I was," Mac told her.

"We're going to figure this out together, Sun," Jack told her. "All of us," he assured her.

"Jacob told me that you'd know what to do next, Richard," Ilana told them. "So, Richard, what do we do next?"

"Uhh.. I have no idea what we do next. You didn't tell your friends that I was trying to kill myself when you found me? That sounds like someone who has a plan?" Richard questioned with a laugh.

"Why would Jacob say you knew what to do if—" Ilana started to ask.

"Because everything he ever said is a lie," Richard reported.

"Someone lying on this island? What a shock," Mac sarcastically answered.

"What are you talking about?" Jack questioned.

Richard stared at Jack. "You wanna know a secret, Jack? Something I've known a long, long time. You're dead."

"You mean that figuratively right?" Hurley asked.

"No, I mean literally. We are all dead, every single one of us. And this, this, all this, it's not what you think it is. We're not on an island, we never were. We're in Hell. So, I'm not interested in what Jacob said. In fact, maybe it's time to stop listening to him, and we started listening to someone else, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do," Richard stated as he got up, and took a torch and headed toward the jungle.

Mac shook her head as Ilana got up and started to load a gun. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

"What are you doing?" Jack demanded to know.

"I'm going after Richard," she informed them.

"Why? You heard him he doesn't... doesn't know what we need to do next," Jack reminded her.

"He knows! Jacob told me, he has to know," Ilana stated.

"Alpert has lost his mind. He thinks that we're, we're in hell. If he cared about what Jacob said, he wouldn't be talking about, about listening to someone else," Jack told her.

"You sure we aren't all in hell Jack? It sure feels that way at times," Mac questioned, as she looked at Ilana as she walked away from the camp.

"Mac you aren't helping," Jack warned her. "Wait, you know who he meant?"

"Oh, this should be interesting," Ben responded.

"What?" Jack questioned.

"He meant Locke," Ben told them.

"Locke is dead," Jack informed him.

"So was Sayid and we've saw him miraculously come back to life. I saw my dead daughter rung through the jungle; you've seen your father whose body you were bringing back from Sydney walking around. And Hurley talks to dead people all the time, so being dead doesn't really mean much on this island, does it Jack?" Mac questioned.

"If it's any consolation, it's not exactly Locke," Ben stated.

Mac looked at him. "Sayid isn't exactly Sayid either, so it's not any consolation." Mac looked to where Hurley was standing at the shore speaking to thin air and in Spanish. "Speaking of Hurley speaking to invisible dead people."

¿Por qué? Que no sé. Sí, yo te puedo ayudar, pero yo no sé como encontrarlo si no sé cómo..." Hurley switched to English. "Why? I don't know. Yes, I can help you, but... I don't know how to find him."

"Hurley! What's he saying?" Jack demanded to know.

"Uh, what's who saying?" Hurley questioned as he looked back at him.

"Jacob, I saw you talking to him," Jack told him.

"I'm not talking to Jacob," Hurley insisted.

"Don't lie to me. Please, if you know something, anything that can help us figure out—" Jack started to say.

"Jack lay off," Mac told him.

"It's not Jacob, man!" Hurley yelled at him.

"Then, who is it?" Jack questioned.

"Sorry Jack, but this has nothing to do with you," Hurley informed him as he walked back toward the campfire.

"Shephard is right, you know," Ben told them.

"Right about what?" Ilana questioned.

"Richard. Going after him is a waste of time, he doesn't know anything," Ben assured her.

"And what makes you so sure?" Mac questioned.

"I've known him since I was twelve years old that should count for something" Ben told them.

"So you guys met when you were kids, huh?" Frank questioned.

"No Frank, I was a kid. Richard looked just like he does today," Ben answered.

"You're saying this guy doesn't age." Frank repeated, shocked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Ben answered.

"And how the hell do you think that happened?" Frank questioned.

"Frank you're really going to ask that question about anything about this island?" Mac asked, shaking her head as she walked away.

_Mac got into the truck. "Desmond," she greeted._

"_I take it by that look on your face, that it didn't work?" Desmond questioned as Libby got in the back seat._

"_No it didn't work, Hurley, Eko, Libby, they all told me that she wasn't ready to move on, but I had to try. You understand that right?" Mac demanded to know._

"_I understand," Desmond told her._

"_So how did you remember?" Mac questioned._

"_Charlie," Desmond simply answered._

"_Charlie remembers?" Mac asked._

"_Not totally, he remembered Claire, when he died on the flight. He knows that he shouldn't be alive, that Jack and Sayid shouldn't have saved him on the 815 that landed at LAX," he explained. "He remembers that I loved someone named Penny," Desmond explained._

"_You know Mac here; she's trying to figure everything out, making everything make perfect sense in her mind. Setting up a perfect time table, trying to make it fit in her world," Libby informed him, as she playfully hit Mac's shoulder._

"_Sister, it isn't going to make sense, it's been years for some of us, but it seems like just a moment, just a day. What's important now, is that everyone is ready to move on together," Desmond responded as he squeezed Mac's hand. "You ready to get Sayid?"_

_Mac nodded. "I'm ready."_

Mac looked threw the tent she used to share with Sayid, putting things in her bag.

"Mac what are you doing?" Jack questioned, as he walked up.

"What does it look like?" she responded not looking up at him.

"You aren't going out there alone," he warned her.

Mac stopped what she was doing and looked at him. "Jack I'm tired of you telling me what I can and cannot do. You don't have a plan."

"Do you?" Jack challenged. "What about us being candidates?"

"I'm not a candidate Jack, so why should I stick around here waiting? We're always waiting, Jack. Waiting to be rescued, waiting to be kidnapped, and now we're just waiting again. Waiting for some guy who thinks we're all in hell to come back and tell us what to do," Mac told him angrily.

"This is our destiny; this is what we were brought here to do," Jack told her.

"I don't care about destiny Jack, I care about our people. Our people are out there with that thing that's using Locke's body. Kate's out there with that thing," Mac reminded him.

"Jack! Somebody help!" Ben yelled as he helped Sun walk.

"Sun!" Mac exclaimed as she ran up to him. "What did you do?" she accused Ben.

"It wasn't me," Ben assured her.

Jack bent down and started to examine her.

"She can't speak English," Ben told them.

"What? What do you mean? Sun?" Mac questioned.

"What happened? Ben what did you do?" Ilana questioned.

"What? Ok, listen I was gathering mangoes and she was already unconscious when I found her. Why won't you believe me?" Ben questioned.

"Because you're speaking," Mac and Ilana both informed him at the same time.

"You got a pretty decent size bump, might be a slight concussion. You can understand what I'm saying?" Jack questioned her, as Sun nodded. "But you can only speak Korean?"

"That's right," she answered in Korean.

"She answered yes," Mac stated as she translated.

"She hits her head and forgets English? Are we supposed to buy that?" Miles questioned.

"Asks the man who communes with the dead," Frank told them.

"It might be aphasia. It's um, a condition that's caused by trauma and it affects the language center of your brain. It's usually temporary. Sun, You're gonna be okay," Jack assured her.

Mac looked up at Ilana and turned her head to see what she was smiling about. "He's back."

"Pack your bags, we're leaving," Richard told them.

"I thought you didn't know what to do next?" Mac asked accusingly.

"I didn't but I do now," Richard answered.

"It just miraculously came to you while you went on a walk?" Mac questioned him.

"Mac," Jack warned. "Where exactly are we going, Richard?"

Richard turned and looked at Ben. "Where's Locke?"

"What?" Ben answered, shocked.

"You said he came to recruit you. Where did he say he'd be?" Richard asked.

"Hydra island," Ben responded.

"Which is exactly where you landed the plane that you flew back here, right?" Richard questioned Lapidus.

"That's right," Frank confirmed.

"This man wants to leave the island, and that plane's the only way he can do it. You wanna know where we're going, we're going to stop him," Richard informed them.

Miles looked at Hurley. "This is your fault isn't it?"

"Sorta," Hurley answered.

"How are we going to stop him from getting on the plane?" Ilana questioned.

"We have to destroy it," Richard stated firmly.

Sun looked at Mac. "Translate," she ordered.

"I guess I'm translating," Mac told them. Mac listened to the other woman speak Japanese. "What? You want to destroy the plane? How are we supposed to get off the island?"

"Why isn't she speaking English?" Richard questioned.

"She was hit on the head when she was running away from Locke," Jack explained.

"He came back here?" Richard demanded to know. Jack nodded in the affirmative. "What, what did he want? What did he say to you? Do you understand me?" Richard demanded to know.

Mac looked at Sun and listened. "This is her words," she told him. "Yes. I understand, you idiot- but if you think I'm gonna help you destroy our only way off this island, you're insane! I came here to find my husband so I could bring him home, not so I could save the damn world! She says I'm important," Mac told him as Sun pointed to Ilana. "If that's true, you need me! So, "understand" this...I'm not going anywhere!" Sun walked away furiously before Mac finished speaking.

"I don't think she wants to come," Hurley told him.

"She isn't the only one not going," Mac informed him.

"Mac," Jack warned her.

"Jack if you Mac me one more time, I'm going to punch you," Mac warned him. "I'm done being used as a pawn in a game on this island," she told him.

"What do you plan to do?" Richard questioned her. "You can't stop Locke by yourself."

"No, but I can stop Sayid," Mac told him.

"Stop Sayid? From doing what?" Ilana questioned. "You said yourself that he isn't Sayid, so what in the world do you think you can do to stop him?"

"Ben, I'm correct when I say that it's a very big chance that Charles Widmore is somewhere here, around this island, making sure that smoke thing that's taken over Locke isn't going to get a chance to leave this island. Right?" Mac questioned.

Ben nodded. "Yeah, he's around."

"If he isn't on the island than he must be in the water," Mac reasoned.

"Do you care to share what you're thinking with the rest of us?" Miles questioned.

"Actually, I do," Mac stated as she walked away.


	63. Chapter 63

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 63**

**Author's note: Mac has refused to talk to me the past couple weeks because she knows it's getting close to the end. I had to change a few things (as always) to get things to fit.**

Mac stopped, bringing up the rear, as she looked around. "Jack, I'm done," she told him as he turned around.

"What do you mean you're done?" he asked as he stopped and looked at her.

Mac gave him a slight nod that she hoped no one else would see. "I'm out. This is the end of the line for me Jack," Mac informed him as she readjusted her bag over her shoulder. "You want to lead these people to Locke's camp, like lambs to slaughter, be my guest. If they want to follow you, to certain death, let them. But I'm not following you, not this time."

"Dude, we have to stick together," Hurley stated.

"Hurley stay out of this," Mac warned him as Jack approached her.

"Everything I've done since we crashed has been for us!" Jack yelled at her.

"Well that worked out real well, hasn't it? And now, your plan is take us into Locke's camp and talk it out with him? Locke tried to keep us here before, and now that smoke thing has him and you expect to do better? I'm done Jack; I'm going to find my way off this island and to my son. You forgot how well your last plan worked Jack? Maybe I should find Sawyer and ask him?" Mac hissed at him.

Jack grabbed her arm pulling her close. "Hit me, you want them to believe it hit me. Don't hold back," he warned. "I can get off of this island! I can get Sayid back."

Mac pulled her arm away from him and gave him a right hook. "Leave me alone Jack!" she yelled at him as she backed away.

"Mac, I'll go with you," Ben offered.

"Right, like I'd trust you anymore then I do him or Locke," Mac told Ben.

"Let's go," Jack told everyone as Mac walked away. He watched her go to the wood line and turned around both of them giving a small nod at each other.

_Desmond threw the keys at Mac. "You know the plan?"_

"_I know the plan," she stated._

"_He's going to want to hear it again," Hurley stated._

"_I block Sayid's exit to the restaurant, get him to get in the car and speed away and hope he doesn't shoot me," Mac answered._

"_Won't be the first time Sayid held a gun at you," Desmond reminded her._

"_Not an experience I want to relive Des, not even in the afterlife," she pointed out._

"_It worked once," Desmond answered as he looked at her. "Well there's nothing like sticking to the tried and true." _

"_Well, I wasn't 100% sure how that one was going to work out either Des," Mac told him._

"_You just have to have faith," Hurley told her._

"_Right faith," Mac stated as she got in the car. "Let's do this."_

Mac turned at the noise as she reached for the gun. "Whose there? Identify yourself!" Mac yelled.

"What are you doing out walking by yourself in the middle of the jungle Drill Sgt?" Sawyer asked as he came out of the woods.

"Could ask you the same thing Sawyer," Mac told him. "Thought you were Locke's team."

"I aint with nobody's team, you should know that by now. I'm looking out for number one. What about you, heard you punched Jack. What's that all about?" Sawyer questioned.

"Jack made it to Locke's camp already? Sawyer you didn't see me," she told him as she started to walk away.

"Hold up Drill Sgt. Widmore has a submarine; Kate and I are going to be on it," he told her.

"Why are you telling me this Sawyer?" Mac asked him.

"Juliet got you off this island once, to have your son. You were stupid enough to come back, now this is your chance to get off of it again," Sawyer told her.

"I haven't done what I came here to do," she pointed out.

"You're on the destiny band wagon too? You and Sun, you didn't have any damn business coming back to this island, you had kids," Sawyer told him.

"Sun needed to find Jin," Mac told him.

"Kate needed to find Claire, and what did she find? One crazy woman," Sawyer told her. "So what about you? What was so damn important that you left your son?"

"To keep a promise," she told him. "Ana Lucia promised the kids in the tail section that she'd get them home. I met their mother, I almost ran her over with my car. I recognized that look of total despair. But I'm obviously not able to fulfill that promise," Mac stated.

Sawyer sighed. "Zach and Emma right? There at Locke's camp. I can get them to the sub, if you agree to meet us there," he told her, as he pointed to a map.

"Thought you only cared about yourself Sawyer?" Mac challenged.

"If getting those kids on that sub is the only way to get you back to your son, then I'll get those damn kids to the sub. So are you going to meet us there?" Sawyer questioned.

"What about Sayid?" Mac asked.

"Sayid's a zombie, him and Claire aint coming," Sawyer told him.

Mac put the gun in her pants. "Get the kids to the sub," she instructed as she started to walk away. "And I was never here, you didn't see me. You understand Sawyer? I was never here; Locke can never know you saw me."

"I aint that friendly with Locke," Sawyer called after her. "You didn't say if you were going to get on that sub!"

"Guess you're going to have to trust someone other than yourself Sawyer. Get those kids on that sub!" she yelled as she started off in a run.

_Mac took a breath as she let the car idle behind the restaurant, taking a breath as she heard the gun shots. She started the car, driving it fast blocking Sayid's exit. She opened the door and stepped out. "Sayid get in!"_

_Sayid stopped as he came out of the restaurant and pointed the gun at her. "Move the vehicle," he told her._

_Mac took a breath. "Sayid I know you don't remember me, but you're going to have to trust me. The cops are going to be coming soon. You need to get in the vehicle; you need to let me drive you out of here. You're other option is going you're going to have to shoot me and move the car your own damn self," she told him as she closed the car door unlocking the other side. "So what's it going to be Sayid?"_

_Sayid looked at her as he crossed to the front of the car still pointing the gun at her, as he got in the car. "How do you know my name?" he asked._

"_We know each other Sayid," Mac told him as she started to drive._

"_The airport," Sayid stated. "But how did you come to be here? Why are you helping me?"_

_Mac glanced at him. "We knew each other before the airport," she simply stated as she pulled into an abandoned parking lot. "Sayid I know that you think that you're a bad person but you aren't." _

_Sayid looked at her. "You don't know me," he told her as he looked at her._

_Mac smiled softly. "I know you Sayid," she told him as she looked at him. "I know that you don't give yourself enough credit for being a good person, but you are. "You once promised me that you would know me that you'd remember me because we were meant to be. I need you to trust Sayid," Mac told him as she held out her hand. "Please?"_

_Sayid looked at her cautiously before taking her hand as he looked at her, taking a breath. "Mackenzie….."_

"_Sayid," Mac whispered tears in her eyes._

"_Mac…." Sayid repeated moving his hands to her face. He started to kiss her. "Mac."_

"_Sayid…" Mac responded kissing him. "You kept your promise."_

"_Sorry it took me so long," he answered as he kissed her again._

Mac took a breath as she pulled out the gun making herself flush behind a tree as she watched Sayid point a gun down into a well.

"So what did he offer ya? If you're gonna shoot me in cold blood, brother...I think I have a right to know what you're getting in exchange for it," a voice called up from the well.

"Desmond?" Mac whispered as she watched Sayid.

"He told me I could get something back I lost," Sayid answered.

"And what did you lose?" Desmond asked.

"My son," Sayid answered as he cocked the gun.

Mac stepped out from behind the tree holding the gun. "Sayid!"

Sayid turned aiming the gun at her. "Mackenzie. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she told him. "So mind explaining to me how killing Desmond is ever going to get Maqudor on this island?" she asked as she made her way to the opening of the well, as she kept the gun focused on Sayid. She looked down. "I wish I could say that this was a surprise Des, but considering we're all in a snow globe."

"Move away, Mackenzie," Sayid ordered.

"That's not going to happen Sayid," Mac told him sternly as she threw her gun away. "You want Desmond, you're going to have to shoot me first," she told him as she looked into his eyes. "So Locke promised you our son did he?" Mac asked him. "The only way Maqudor is ever going to come on this island, Sayid, is over my dead body. You know that, or at least what little part of Sayid is in there knows it," she told him as she grabbed his arm the gun being aimed at her heart. "Go ahead shoot me, Sayid, then you can shoot Desmond. But remember Sayid, that one day little Maq is going to ask you how his mother died, and when you tell him you shot and killed her, do you think he's going to love you? The pain you felt for all the torturing you ever did, that's not going to compare to the pain you feel when Maq looks at with the hatred he'll feel. Sayid you don't want to kill me, or Desmond. This isn't you," Mac pleaded with him.

Sayid looked at her. "Mac?" he questioned as he blinked and lowered the gun.

"You're back?" she asked as she fell to her knees in relief.

"Mac," Sayid said as he held her face. "I'm sorry."

"Guys, Locke is going to wonder why he hasn't heard a gunshot and why you haven't come back," Desmond stated as he looked up from the well.

Sayid nodded as he picked up the gun.

"Sayid…." Mac whispered.

Sayid pointed the gun to a tree and shot it off. "Go, he can't catch you here. I'll make him believe I killed him. I'll meet you," Sayid said as he kissed her. "Go!" he ordered as he walked away.

"You need to do what he says, Sister," Desmond told her.

"What about you?" Mac asked as she stood up.

"I'll be ok," Desmond told her. "See you in another life sister."

Mac nodded as she recovered her gun and took off running.


	64. Chapter 64

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 64**

Mac ran to the dock taking a breath. "Sawyer!"

"Thought you were going to miss the boat," he informed her as he reached out his hand to her.

"Where are the kids?" Mac questioned, only seeing Kate.

"I got it handled," Sawyer told her.

"Where are the kids? I knew you couldn't be trusted Sawyer!" Mac said as she pulled away from him.

"Want to look over your shoulder G.I. Jane and then apologize?" Sawyer told her as footsteps approached from behind.

Mad turned around to see Hurley, Sun, Jack, Frank, Zach and Emma approaching.

"I'm waiting," Sawyer told her as he looked at her.

"I'm sorry James," Mac responded, as she held out her hand to the kids.

"I think it's a damn miracle, think that's first time you ever called me James," Sawyer told her.

"Hey," Kate greeted Jack.

"Alright, let's go. Everybody on board, let's go!" Sawyer told the group as they boarded.

"We got separated from Cindy," Zach stated as he looked back toward the jungle.

"Hey it's ok, she'll find us ok?" Mac reassured him.

"Sailing home on this, huh?" Frank questioned.

Sawyer shook his head. "Won't work, not without a bearing, for three years the only DHARMA folk ever got on or off this Island was by sub, so that's what we're doin'. Nice job, doc," Sawyer told Jack.

Hurley looks out into the jungle. "Uh oh," he stated as Claire emerged from the jungle with a rifle cocked.

Mac stood up as she put the kids behind her and took out the gun from her pants pointing it at Claire. "Claire, what are you doing?" she asked.

"Where are you going?" Claire questioned as she looked at the people on the boat.

"Claire...it's okay," Kate assured her.

"Kate," Jack warned.

"We're leaving the Island," Kate told her.

"Then, uh, why aren't you waiting for John?" Claire asked confusion obvious in her voice.

"Because that's not John, and whoever he is, he's not one of us. Claire, come with us. I can get you back to Aaron," Kate pleaded with the other woman.

"Wait a damn minute," Sawyer interrupted.

"Sawyer shut up. She is coming or I'm not. Come with us Claire," Kate pleaded with her.

"John promised me," Claire explained.

"Claire, you can't believe a word Locke is telling you, that's not Locke," Mac told her.

"No I'm promising you. I was there when he was born, and I never should have raised him, it should have been you. I came back to get you so you can be with him again. It's the only reason I came back to the Island, Claire. So please come with us. Let's go home," Kate begged her.

Claire lowered her rifle and approached the boat. Mac took a breath and put the gun back in her pants.

"Alright, get on the boat before Locke gets here," Sawyer told them.

Kate took the rifle from Claire.

"He finds out we're gone, he's gonna be mad," Claire told them.

_Mac got out of the car, Sayid joining her, putting his arm around her._

_Hurley grinned. "Welcome home Sayid," he greeted as he picked him up in a bear hug._

"_Hello Hurley," Sayid said as he hugged him back._

"_You were worried?" Desmond questioned as he shook Hurley's hand. "Welcome home brother."_

"_Now what?" Sayid asked as he went back to Mac, his hand going to her waist._

"_I've got to get Charlie to the concert, so he can remember Claire," Hurley told them. "We've got to get Kate out of jail."_

"_Kate's in jail?" Mac questioned?_

"_Original plan was to break out Sayid too, but figured the two of you could use some one on one time," Hurley answered with a grin._

"_Ana's going to help with Kate," Libby stated._

"_She remembered?" Mac questioned hopefully._

"_Sorry, sister, she hasn't come to terms with those demons yet," Desmond told her. "You'll be there with us handing over the money, maybe seeing you again will give her the push she needs."_

"_What about Nathan and Shannon?" Mac asked, as she kissed Sayid._

"_Boone convinced Shannon to come back to LA, she should be landing. Sayid we could use some help getting Nathan to the club where they'll be at," Desmond stated._

"_Anything you need," he stated as he kissed Mac again._

Mac touched Emma's and Zach's faces. "Stay here ok?" she told them as she walked up to where Sawyer was steering the boat.

"I know I'm a little late to the party, Captain, but, you mind filling us in on what your game plan is?" Frank questioned Sawyer.

"I was just going to ask the same thing," Mac told him.

"My plan, Chesty and GI Jane is to land on Hydra Island, get ourselves nice and cuddly with Widmore until we get a chance to jump on that sub. Then I'm gonna put a gun in someone's face and make 'em take us home," Sawyer told them.

"I like that idea...I saw some canned food down in the galley, anybody else starving?" Frank questioned as Hurley, Sun, and Claire followed.

"Frank take the kids down with you?" Mac asked.

"Sure, come on let's get some food in you," he told them.

"Freckles, take the wheel a minute?" Sawyer asked Kate.

"Sure...Be nice," Kate told him as she saw him looking toward Jack.

"I'll referee," Mac assured her.

"Yeah, yeah," Sawyer told them. "I don't need a referee Drill Sgt."

"Oh I think Kate would feel a lot better if I just joined you. Don't argue," Mac told him.

"Didn't think you'd show up, doc," Sawyer told him.

Jack looked up. "Sorry?"

"Taking orders ain't your strong suit. Nice to see you finally came around," Sawyer told him.

"This doesn't feel right," Jack told him.

Mac looked at Jack. "Leaving?"

Jack nodded. "Leaving the island," he told them.

"Wanna tell me why not?" Sawyer questioned him.

"Because I remember how I felt last time I left...like a part of me was missing," Jack told him.

"They got pills for that, doc," Sawyer answered.

"We were brought here because we're supposed to do something, James. And if Locke-that...that thing-wants us to leave; maybe it's afraid of what happens if we stay," Jack concluded.

"Get off my damn boat!" Sawyer ordered.

"Sawyer don't do this," Mac warned.

"What?" Jack asked.

"You got a decision to make and you make it now. Either you're with us or you're not. You keep that damn crazy talk to yourself, or you're going in the water," Sawyer warned him.

"Sawyer!" Mac screamed at him.

"James, this is a mistake. And I know there's a part of you that feels that. The island's not done with us yet," Jack informed him.

"Yeah, well, I'm done with this island. So, if you want to take a leap of faith, Jack, then take it...Get off my damn boat," he repeated.

Jack looked at Kate.

"Jack, don't do this!" Mac pleaded.

"I'm sorry that I got Juliet killed," Jack apologized to Sawyer as he jumped overboard, feet first.

Kate looks at Jack in the water, as she turned the boat. "What did you say to him?"

"He changed his mind," Sawyer told her as he took the wheel and stopped the boat from turning.

"What do you mean he changed his mind? What did you say to him? Mac what did he say?" Kate demanded to known.

Mac looked at Sawyer then at the water.

"He ain't coming with us," Sawyer informed her.

"Then neither am I," Mac told him as she took off her jacket tying her hair back.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sawyer asked.

"He's right Sawyer, you don't know what it was like being off this island. Like we left part of us behind," she stated. "Kate watch the kids," she stated as she jumped in the water.

"Mac!" Kate yelled after her. "We have to go back and get them!"

"We're done going back, Kate," Sawyer told her.

Mac took a breath. "Jack!" she called out.

Jack paused in the water. "Mac what are you doing? Go back."

"You don't get to do this alone Jack. Live together die alone," she stated as she started to swim. "Are you coming?" she shouted back at him as she looked back at him.

Jack and Mac continued to swim, Jack making it to the beach first, and reached for her to help her in.

"Nice day for a swim," Locke stated coming out from nowhere. "Hello Mackenzie."

"Locke," she greeted.

"Sawyer took my boat didn't he?" Locke questioned.

Jack nodded. "Yes," he answered as they started to walk to the beach camp.

Mac spotted Sayid, Sayid shaking his head ever so slightly for her not to acknowledge him then looked at Locke.

"Heard you and Jack had a falling out about coming over and talking to me," Locke told her. "Obviously you made up."

"Obviously," Mac told him as a whistling sound is overhead.

"Get down!" Jack yelled as he pushed Mack out of the way and he is knocked to the ground which injured him and distorted his hearing.

"Jack!" Mac yelled as she ran back to him.

"I've got him! Sayid get her out of here," Locke instructed as he picked up Jack.


	65. Chapter 65

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 65**

**Author's Note: There are no flash sideways in this chapter, only because I had jumped ahead of myself in other chapters. Sorry this one took so long my work schedule is changing and I am swamped.**

Sayid paddled the outrigger as Mac sat with Jack. "How is he?"

"Still unconscious," Mac answered with Jack's head in his lap. "How long do you think you can keep Locke from finding out that you aren't still under his influence?"

Sayid sighed. "I am not sure, the longer I can the better for all of us. Why did you come back?"

"Jack jumped off the boat, made the decision that there was something more for him to do here," Mac told him.

"That explains why Jack is here, not you," he pointed out.

Mac looked at him. "I couldn't let him come alone….live together die alone thing?"

Sayid sighed. "You weren't even there for that speech," he reminded her.

"Does that matter Sayid? I was still on that plane, as you told me three years ago," she told him.

Sayid gave a small smile. "Now you decide to listen?" he questioned with a sigh. "You know how much harder this is going to be to keep up this façade with you here? You should have stayed on the boat."

"You're going to have to keep it up, Sayid. It's the only way we're going to get off this island and make it back to our son," Mac told him as he paddled to the hydra island.

"Stay with Jack," Sayid told her as he got off the outrigger.

"Where are you going?" Mac questioned as she looked up at him.

"I can't be near you and not kiss you or not touch you, if I don't separate myself from you I will not be able to keep up this rouse," Sayid told her, his voice filled with pain. "Do you understand?"

Mac nodded. "Yes," she told him as she watched him walk to the beach. She took a breath as she sat on the out rigger with Jack. "Jack?"

Jack took a breath as he sat up.

"Welcome to Hydra Island, at least you didn't have to paddle," Sayid told him when he saw him sitting up.

"What happened?" Jack questioned Sayid and Mac.

"There was a mortar attack. Widmore's people fired on us, Locke saved you," Sayid explained as he handed a canteen to Mac letting his finger linger a little bit longer on her hand.

Mac handed the canteen to Jack which he drank deeply.

"What about the rest of your group? What happened to them?" Jack questioned Sayid.

"The ones who weren't killed scattered into the jungle. It's just the three of us now," Sayid calmly answered as he looked at Mac.

"Why did he bring us here?" Jack asked.

Mac took a breath as Locke suddenly appeared. "Because your friends got themselves captured, and now we're going to have to rescue them," he explained.

"Who captured them?" Mac questioned.

"Rescue them from what?" Jack added.

"Widmore has them in a cage about half a mile inland," Locke answered them both.

"Why would he—" Jack started

"You know, I would ask him, except I don't think he's going to give me a straight answer. But I can't imagine that his intentions are good. If we move right now, we can break your people out, run for the plane, and be off this island before Widmore knows what hit him," Locke told them.

"They're not my people, and I'm not leaving the Island," Jack informed him sternly.

Mac looked at Jack then at Locke. "What about you Mac? You want to leave this island, with the kids? I noticed that they seemed to disappear from my group," Locke told her.

"I wasn't at your camp, Locke. I wouldn't know anything about that," Mac answered.

Locke shook his head. "Now, why don't I believe you Mac? And Jack, I'm hoping you still change your mind about that. But your friends do want to leave. And since they just ran away from me, on my own boat, I'm going to need your help convincing them that they can trust me," Locke told him.

"Why should we trust you?" Jack questioned.

"Because I could kill you both right here, right here right now. And I could kill every single one of your friends. And there's not a thing that you could do to stop me. But instead of killing you, I saved your life. And now I want to save them too. So will you help me?" Locke questioned.

"That's a hell of a choice and you know exactly what we are going to do, don't you?" Mac questioned as she walked.

"I've noticed something Mac," the smoke monster told her as he let Jack and Sayid walked ahead of them.

"What's that?" she asked as she glanced at him.

"You haven't called me Locke or John, now why is that?" he questioned her.

Mac stopped and looked at him and gave him a small smile. "Well that's easy, that's because you aren't John Locke are you? John Locke is dead; you are just using his body. I might not have liked Locke, but I'm not going to disrespect him by calling you his name," Mac told him.

"You should be afraid of me, I could easily kill you now," he told her.

Mac looked at him. "You need me for something, we both know it," she told him as she walked away.

"You're spidey senses are telling you something?" Jack questioned.

"Aren't they always? But unfortunately, as always, it's not going to do me any good until something bad happens," she answered as she looked at Sayid as she kept walking.

"I'll distract Widmore's men, you get them out of the cages," Locke instructed Jack as he turns into the smoke monster.

"You shouldn't bate him," Sayid warned Mac underneath his breath as he watched Locke turn into the smoke monster. "I'll meet you," he told them as he left.

"Come on Mac," Jack instructed as they moved toward the cages.

"What are you doing here?" Kate questioned as Jack reached for the keys and unlocked the cages as the smoke monster wailed.

"Come on, we're with him," Jack told them as they fled the cages.

"You're with him, Jack, I'm just waiting for the something bad to happen," Mac answered.

"What do you mean by something bad?" Sawyer questioned as they move through the jungle.

"Sawyer, doesn't something always bad happen in this God Forsaken island?" she asked, moving her way back to the kids. "You two ok?" she questioned as she touched their faces.

Emma nodded. "Just scared," she answered.

Mac bent down. "You know what? So am I, so it's ok to be scared," she assured them above a whisper. "Come on let's keep moving."

"But what about Cindy?" Zach demanded to know.

Mac took a breath. "Zach, I don't know where Cindy is, but if she's alive, she knows that we're going to be heading to the plane to get home, so she'll be coming to find us," she assured them, as she squeezed Zach's shoulder.

"How much further to the plane?" Jack questioned Frank.

"Say about a quarter mile, just over that ridge," he responded.

"So you're coming with us now?" Kate questioned Jack.

"I'm going to take you to the plane but I'm not getting on it. I'm sorry, Kate. I'm... I'm not meant to go," Jack explained.

"Thanks for comin' back for us, doc. Appreciate it," Sawyer told him. "You too Drill Sgt.," Sawyer told her as they heard a rustling in the bushes.

The group pointed weapons at the sound, Sayid stepping out.

Mac lowered her gun. "He's with us!"

"No, it's okay! He was the one who turned off the generators," Jack explained.

"I thought you said that he was not Sayid," Sun whispered to Mac.

"He wasn't Sayid, but he's back now. Look we still have to pretend, ok?" Mac whispered as she kept the children close.

"Great, the more the merrier," Sawyer answered sarcastically.

"We need to go, Locke's waiting," Sayid explained as he walked ahead of the group.

Sawyer stepped back to Mac. "You mind telling me how all of a sudden Sayid's ok?" he questioned Mac.

"Hurley, keep an eye on the kids for me," Mac instructed.

"Right," Hurley answered as he took the kids hands.

"You're just going to have to trust me Sawyer," Mac answered as she turned her head as they heard gun fire. Mac took out her gun as they approach the plane, seeing dead bodies.

"Alrighty... let's see what it'll take to get this baby to fly," Frank stated.

"Son of a bitch!" Sawyer exclaimed as he looked around the carnage as Sayid bent down to examine a body.

"His neck's been broken.." Sayid stated as Locke descended from the plane.

"That's because I broke it. If it's any consolation, Widmore knew that I would kill these men," Locke explained.

"It's not any consolation, not at all," Mac answered.

"What are you talkin' about?" Sawyer asked.

"They were only guarding the plane for show. If Charles had really wanted to keep me from actually getting on board he wouldn't have moved his little fences," he explained.

"Well... wait, now he wants us to leave the Island?" Hurley questioned.

Locke shook his head. "No, Hugo. He wants to get us all in the same place at the same time... a nice confined space we have no hope of getting out of... and then he wants to kill us," he informed the group.

"Kill us with what?" Sawyer questioned.

"With this," he answered as he removed an object from his bag. "Four bricks of C-4. I found them in one of the overheard compartments, wired to the electrical system of the plane. If we would've turned it on... boom."

"So what now?" Jin questioned.

"We can't be sure he didn't put more explosives on the plane. It's not safe. If we're gonna leave the island, I think we have to take the submarine," Locke suggested.

"Well that's what I've been saying all along," Sawyer questioned.

"Can't you just turn into the little smoke monster thing and go search the plane for more explosives?" Mac questioned.

"It doesn't work that way, sorry," Locke answered

"Dude, wait... he's not supposed to leave the island. I mean, Alpert said that—" Hurley tried to interject.

"Screw Alpert, he ain't here," Sawyer told Hurley as he approached Locke. "That's twice you've saved our asses. Guess I was wrong about you."

"Thank you, James," Locke told him, as he turned to address the group. "That submarine is gonna be heavily defended. We're going to need everyone."

"I'll help you but, like I said, I'm not going with you," Jack told him.

"Fair enough, let's go," Locke told him.

As they set off, Claire caught up with Locke. "Hey... I'm sorry I—"

"It's alright, Claire. I understand why you went with them," Locke answered.

Sawyer grabbed Mac's arm, so she'd slow down, as he hung back to talk with Jack.

"What's going on Sawyer?" Mac questioned.

"Hey doc, listen up... you don't wanna leave this island, that's your own damn business. But I'm gonna ask you for one last favor. I don't trust that thing one bit, so here's what I need you to do... once we get to the dock, you make sure it doesn't get on the sub," Sawyer instructed. "You with me Drill Sgt?" he questioned.

"I'm with you," Mac answered.

"How am I supposed to do that? You saw what it did back there," Jack pointed out.

"Just get it in the water, I'll take care of the rest," Sawyer instructed.

TBC in chapter 66


	66. Chapter 66

**Sink or Swim**

**Chapter 66**

**This is a continuation of the last chapter. Sorry for it being long. Please go to YouTube under captaintjf's OC and watch the videos my friend Mel made for this. Thanks Mel!**

The armed survivors, with Locke, Claire and Sayid, and the children were hidden in the bushes, observing Widmore's seemingly undefended submarine. Locke tossed his backpack to Jack.

"Just 'cause there aren't any goons on the dock, doesn't mean they aren't on the sub. We're going in hard. Got it? Lapidus, Hugo, Jin, Sun, Mac and the kiddo's-you're with me. The rest of you wait 30 seconds, head down the dock behind us," Sawyer ordered as he turned his attention to Jack and Locke. "You think you two can get our backs?"

"Absolutely," Jack told him.

"I need you guys to run fast ok?" Mac informed the kids as she glanced at Sayid.

"All right, let's go home," Sawyer told his group as they started running.

Sawyer opened the sub hatchg going down, followed by Mac, then Frank as Sun hands them a rifle.

A voice on the PA system was being heard. "After engine room, power the bilges. After engine room, power the bilges, please," the voice repeated.

"Sun stay with the kids," Mac instructed as Sawyer, her and Frank burst into a room and surprised the man who was sitting there.

"Where's the damn captain?" Sawyer demanded to know.

"Nice and easy, put your hands up," Mac instructed as she pointed her gun at the man as he started to stand up and led them to the Captain.

Frank knocked the man unconscious with butt of rifle. "Nothin' personal," he responded as he apologized.

"Okay, Hoss, how about you get ready to fire this thing up?" Sawyer asked the Captain.

"I got it," Frank told them as he pointed his rifle at the captain.

"The others should be on the way," Mac told Sawyer.

"Let's go," he answered as they left the bridge.

"So you want to tell me your plan to keep Old Smokie off this sub?" Mac questioned.

"You're just going to have to trust me Drill Sgt.," he answered as he gave her a smile.

Mac looked up hearing gun shots. "They've got trouble," Mac pointed out as she pointed her gun as Jack brought an injured Kate in.

"What's going on up there? What happened?" Sawyer demanded to know.

"Widmore's people shot her. Hurley, I need a first aid kit," Jack instructed as Mac came over to help as Sayid came into the sub.

"Sayid," Mac greeted as she kissed him. "Been dying to do that for a while," she told him.

"Mac," Sayid answered as he touched her face.

"Hate to break up this little reunion, but who else is up there?" Sawyer demanded to know.

"Claire," Sayid answered.

Sawyer goes to the surface. "Claire!"

"James!" Locke called out as he shot an approaching attacker. He exchanged stares with Sawyer, as Sawyer lowered the sub's hatch leaving Claire and Locke on the docke.

"Lapidus, if you can hear me...DIVE! DIVE!" he yelled.

Mac looked up as the engines powered on. "Sawyer we can't leave Claire!"

"What the hell are you doing?" Jack asked Sawyer.

"What we came here to do...leaving," Sawyer informed the group.

Jack looked at Kate who was laying on his lap with a gunshot wound as she stirred. "Kate."

Kate gasped. "Claire? Where's Claire?"

"She's still up there," Jack told her.

"No, we can't leave without her...we can't..." Kate told them.

"Kate, it's ok," Mac told her as she bent down.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Sawyer questioned.

"Jack, I can't find first-aid kit, dude," Hurley reported as he joined them.

The kids looked at Mac. "Cindy didn't come find us," Zach whispered.

"Hey it's ok, I'm sure there was a reason," she told them as she touched his face.

"Jin-my pack. There might be a shirt in there I can use for pressure," Jack instructed as he turned his attention to Kate. "It's okay. Just relax. Everything's going to be alright," he told her.

"Here, can you help her? Jin questioned as he handed Jack the backpack.

"I think the bullet went straight through..." Jack started to explain as he reached into the backpack, his face going white.

"Jack?" Mac questioned, as she put her arms around the kids.

"What?" Sawyer asked as he saw Jack's face.

Jack pulled out a C-4 bomb with a timer counting down from 3:54.

"And that explains my spidey senses tingling," Mac murmured under her breath.

"Dude, where did that come from?" Hurley questioned his eyes big with fright.

"Locke, we did exactly what he wanted," Jack answered. "We have to get to the surface."

"What the hell?" Sawyer questioned.

"We have to get to the surface now!" Jack ordered.

Mac grabbed the phone. "Frank take us up now!"

"We're divin'!" he told her

"Just do it! NOW!" she ordered as Sayid took the bomb from Jack. Mac hung up the phone. "Hurley, stay with the kids," she instructed as she went over.

"Dude how'd that get on the sub?" Hurley asked.

"Locke put it in my pack," Jack told them.

"Why would he do that? He wanted to come with us?" Jin pointed out.

"Damn right he did, that's why I shut his ass out!" Sawyer answered.

"He wanted you to shut him out," Jack answered as he tended to Kate. 3:08 blinking on the timer. "Any idea how that thing works? Can we turn it off?"

"This watch is jury-rigged to the battery. The battery detonates the explosives," Sayid explained.

Sawyer picked up the phone. "How much time till we're up, Frank?"

"At least 5 minutes.

"We ain't got 5 minutes. What's it gonna be Sayid?" Sawyer demanded.

"These wires-they're leads from the watch. If we disconnect them from the battery, technically speaking, the bomb should be inert," Sayid explained.

"Technically?" both Sawyer and Mac questioned.

"Yes, but you need to pull them out simultaneously; and, I'm not sure..." Sayid tried to explain.

"Step aside," Sawyer ordered as 2:46 remained on the timer, Sayid standing near the bomb.

"Wait! Wait!" Jack yelled at Sawyer.

"What the hell are you doin', doc?" Sawyer questioned.

"Nothing's going to happen," Jack told them.

"Jack what do you mean nothing's going to happen?" Mac questioned.

"What?" Sawyer questioned.

"Don't pull those wires out. We're okay. Nothing's gonna happen," Jack assured him.

"It's a bomb," Emma told him.

"The kids got a point, it's a bomb. If I don't pull these wires, Locke's going to blow us to kingdom come," Sawyer pointed out.

"No, he's not! Locke can't kill us!" Jack exclaimed.

"Uh...what?" Hurley asked confused.

"This is what he wanted," Jack started to explain as 2:27 left of the time. "This is what he's been waiting for. Everything that he has done has been to get us here. He wanted to get us all in the same place, at the same time-a nice, enclosed space where we had no hopes of getting out of."

"I don't understand," Jin told Jack.

"Locke said that he can't leave the island without us. I think that he can't leave the island unless we're all dead. He told me that he could kill anyone of us whenever he wanted. So, what if he hasn't because he's...he's not allowed to. What if he's trying to get us to kill each other?" Jack pointed out.

"Stay out of my way, doc," Sawyer told him as the timer blinked 1:54.

"Now if he wanted that thing to blow up, why would he put a timer in it? Why not just throw it inside?" Jack pointed out.

"He's got a point," Mac told them. "All six of the candidates are here, the rest of us are just collateral damage."

"I don't care," Sawyer told them.

"Nothing is going to happen," Jack assured him.

"It's not your decision to make!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"He can't kill us!" Jack yelled at Sawyer.

"I'm not gonna stand here and do nothing!" he yelled as Jack grabbed him.

"James. We are going to be okay, you just have to trust me," Jack told him, 1:35 remained on the timer.

"Sorry, doc, I don't," Sawyer told him as he pulled the wires from the timer, Sun and Jack gasp, Zach cried, the timer paused at 1:31 then the countdown accelerated.

"Listen carefully. There's a well on the main island, half mile south from the camp we just left. Desmond's inside it, Locke wants him dead, which means you're going to need him. Do you understand me?" Sayid told Jack.

"Sayid….you can't," Mac told him as she met his eyes.

"Always remember I love you," he told her as he touched his face.

"Why are you telling me this?" Jack questioned.

"Because it's going to be you, Jack," Sayid told him as he grabbed the bomb and ran off.

"Sayid!" Mac yelled as she headed to follow him as Jack grabbed her.

Sayid goes into another compartment and the bomb explodes - sub is flooding - alarm sounds - Lapidus gets up from the floor, climbed down ladder to access damage.

"Ah, hell!" Frank exclaimed as a bulkhead hatch door gave way, and knocked him to the floor. Jack grabbed Kate from beneath water; Mac put her arms around the kids helping them as she glanced back toward the explosion.

"What happened? Did Sayid just...?" Hurley questioned.

"You two ok?" Mac questioned the kids, checking them out.

"Did you husband just die to save us?" Zach asked.

"Shh…it's ok," she told them as she touched her cheek.

"Help!" Sun screamed.

Jin swam to her. "Wait!" He yelled as Sun is pinned to the wall. "Hold on. I'll get you out...Sawyer! I need help!"

"Jin!" Sawyer yelled as he swam over.

"Mac you got to take the kids out of here. Ok?" Jack questioned.

Mac looked to where Sayid ran to with the bomb then nodded. "Yeah," she responded.

"Hurley! Hurley! You gotta take Kate out of here," Jack ordered.

"What about everybody else?" Hurley questioned.

"I'll take care of them!" Jack assured him as he grabbed an emergency air cylinder.

"I have to go after Sayid!" Hurley exclaimed.

Mac looked at him tears in her eyes. "Sayid's gone," Mac told him. "Ok guys, hold on to me ok?"

"There is no Sayid! Listen to me. Take this tank and buddy-breathe and swim out where the blast hole is, okay? Hurley, you can do this, okay?" Jack told him as Mac started swimming with the kids.

"Okay," Hurley answered.

"Go!" Jack ordered as Hurley helped Kate and followed Mac and the kids out.

Mac helped get the kids on the beach as she saw Jack struggle to get Sawyer and himself onto the beach. "Stay here," she told the kids. Mac ran to help Sawyer, as she took a breath as he coughed.

Hurley helped Kate over to Jack. "Jack...I couldn't find you. I couldn't find you," she sobbed.

"Is he okay?" Hurley questioned as he looked at Sawyer.

"He got hit in the head pretty hard, but he's breathing," Jack answered.

"Jack, where's Sun and Jin?" Mac questioned.

Jack shook his head. "They didn't make it," he told her. "The kids?"

"They're ok," Mac stated. "I need a few minutes," she told Jack.

Jack nodded as he helped Kate sit down as she walked to the beaches edge. She fingered Sayid's wedding band in her pocket. Mac sighed as she sat down and looked out at the debris for over an hour.

"I'm not going to ask if you're ok, I know you aren't," Sawyer stated as he came up later.

"Glad to see you're feeling better," she stated as she looked out at the wreckage.

"Surprised you aren't crying," Sawyer stated as he put his arm around her.

"I already cried over Sayid being dead once this week," she told him. "I swear to God James if you say you're sorry, I'll punch you."

"Wasn't planning on it," he assured her. "This kid of yours, he just got him a Godfather," Sawyer told her.

Mac gave a small smile as Jack, Hurley, the kids and Kate joined them.

"We should get going, now," Jack told them.

"Go where?" Hurley asked.

"Before Sayid died, he said that Desmond was in a well. If Locke wants Desmond dead, then we're gonna need him," Jack told them.

"I know the location of the well," Mac told them as she stood up. "It's about an hour away from our old camp," she told them.

"I'm sorry about Sayid," Emma tells her. "So is Zach," she added.

"She doesn't like to be told sorry," Sawyer told them.

"It's ok, guys, you didn't know," she told them as she touched their faces. "Thanks," she told them. "Stay close to Hurley or me ok?" she instructed as she walked.

"If Locke wanted Desmond dead, why didn't he just kill him?" Sawyer asked.

"Who knows? Maybe it's one of his rules," Jack answered.

"He sent Sayid to do it," Mac interrupted to explain. "I was there, I stopped him, it's what brought him back to the real Sayid."

Sawyer nodded then looked at Jack. "The bomb on the sub...you said he couldn't kill us."

"I've been wrong before," Jack admitted.

"I killed them, didn't I?" Sawyer asked.

"No. _He_ killed them," Jack told him as he walked ahead.

"Ahh!" Hurley said as he jumped.

"Hurley? Who are you seeing?" Mac questioned as she turned around, as she put her hands on the kids' shoulders.

"Give me the ashes," the young boy ghost told him.

"What? Who are you?" Hurley demanded.

"Give me the ashes you took from Ilana's things after she died. I know they're in your pocket," Young Jacob demanded.

"Why?" Hurley questioned.

"Because they're mine," the young boy told him.

"What do you want them for?" Hurley questioned.

The boy snatched the bag of ashes and ran away - Hurley chased him.

"Hey!" Hurley yelled after him as he ran into the regular Jacob as he sat at a camp fire.

"Hello, Hugo," Jacob greeted.

"Dude...I've been waiting for you to show up. Where you been?" Hurley demanded to know.

"Doesn't matter. I'm here now," Jacob answered.

"Did you see a kid run by here with your ashes?" Hurley questioned.

"My ashes are right there in that fire... When it burns out, you'll never see me again," Jacob told him.

"Uh, what?" Hurley stuttered.

"You should get your friends... We're very close to the end, Hugo," Jacob told him.


	67. Chapter 67

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 67**

Hurley walked with Kate, Sawyer, Jack, Mac and the kids through the woods to where Jacob was waiting for them.

"Hello, Kate... James... Jack…Mac…Zach….Emma," Jacob greeted.

"He's right there by the fire, he says hello…," Hurley explained.

"I heard him," Jack informed him.

"What, you can see him?" Hurley questioned.

"Yeah, he's standing right there," Emma told him.

"Kate? Sawyer? Mac? You, too?" Hurley questioned as Sawyer nodded.

"So, you're the one who wrote our names on the wall," Kate stated.

"I am," he acknowledged.

"Sun and Jin Kwon and Sayid Jarrah-you wrote their names on the wall?" she challenged.

"Yes," he answered.

"Is that why they're dead?" she asked.

"I'm very sorry," Jacob answered.

Mac gave a short snort. "Oh that's nice Jacob, I'm glad that you are sorry. I'll be sure to tell my son that he does not have a father and Sun and Jin's daughter that she does not have parents but that Jacob is sorry so it's quite alright." Mac looked at him, taking a step forward. "I know you. You were in the chapel at the hospital; I thought you were just another grieving person that you were losing someone too. But you weren't were you?" Mac demanded to know.

"Mac," Hurley warned.

"No, Hurley, I want to know why. I want to know that Sun and Jin and Sayid didn't die for nothing," Kate told him. "We all have the right to know what they died for."

"Come and sit down and I'll tell you what they died for... I'll tell you why I chose them...and why I chose you. And then I'll tell you everything you need to know about protecting this island, because by the time that fire burns out, one of you is gonna have to start doing it," Jacob told them.

_Mac leaned against the car. "So this is your big plan Desmond? To beat up Ben Linus, to get him to remember, then go turn yourself into Sawyer, and be loaded on a prison van with Kate, and then Hurley and I are supposed to pay Ana Lucia off?" Mac questioned as she shook her head. "It sounds as bad as when I say it, than it did in my head, starting with the whole getting Ben to remember. If Ana isn't ready to remember and move on, then why does Ben Linus get to?"_

"_We don't make the rules, we just follow them," Hurley told her. _

"_Well I hope the beating is a good one, for all the trouble he caused us," Mac stated as she kissed Sayid. "So what's your part of this plan?"_

"_Hurley and I are going to get Charlie after you two drop off the money to Ana Lucia," he answered as he kissed her._

"_Then you and I are going to go get Nathan," Libby told her. _

"_Has anyone talked with Rose or Bernard?" she asked._

"_They'll be at the church," Libby told her. _

"_Jack isn't going to be easy to reach," Mac stated._

"_We'll all be there when he is ready to remember," Hurley told him. "Let's go," he told them_

Jacob looked at everyone at the fire. "I don't really know where to start."

"How about why you brought us to the Island?" Hurley suggested.

"I brought all of you here because I made a mistake. A mistake I made a very long time ago, and now, because of that there's a very good chance that every single one of you and everyone you've ever cared about is going to die," Jacob told them.

Mac put her hands on the children's' shoulders as she watched Jacob.

"What mistake?" Sawyer questioned.

"You call him "The Monster." But I'm responsible for what happened to him. I made him that way. And ever since then he's been trying to kill me. It was only a matter of time before he figured out how, and when he did, someone would have to replace me. And that's why I brought you all here," Jacob explained.

"Tell me something, Jacob. Why do I got to be punished for your mistake? What made you think you could mess with my life? I was doin' just fine till you dragged my ass to this damn rock," Sawyer yelled at him.

"No, you weren't. None of you were. I didn't pluck any of you out of a happy existence. You were all flawed. I chose you because you were like me. You were all alone. You were all looking for something that you couldn't find out there. I chose you because you needed this place as much as it needed you," Jacob answered Sawyer.

Mac stood up. "You know what Jacob? It was our lives! Everyone is flawed, no one is perfect. You had no right to decide that you were just going to pick us up put us together and hope to god one of us was worthy enough to replace you. How about the people that died because you brought us here to this island Jacob? How about the people who died in the plane crash? Charlie wouldn't have had to drown trying to save us, if you hadn't brought us. Or Ana Lucia and Libby wouldn't have been shot because Michael wanted his son back because Walt wouldn't have been kidnapped by insane people. Sayid wouldn't have had to carry a bomb off a freighter, and Sun and Jin wouldn't have drowned. How about that Jacob?" Mac questioned as she looked at him.

"I am sorry for all the deaths, but there are three of you who can still replace me," Jacob told them.

"Why did you cross my name off of your wall?" Kate questioned.

"Did you decided we were to flawed for the job?" Mac demanded to know.

"Because you both became mothers. It's just a line of chalk in a cave. The job is yours if you want it, Kate, Mac," Jacob told them.

"What is the job?" Jack questioned.

"There's a light at the center of the Island. You have to make sure it never goes out. That's how you protect it," Jacob informed them.

"Your monster friend said there is nothing to protect it from," Sawyer pointed out.

"Hmm. You have to protect it from him... You must do what I couldn't. What I wasn't able to do," Jacob answered.

"You want us to kill him? Is that even possible?" Jack questioned.

"I hope so, because he is certainly going to try to kill you," Jacob stated.

"He's been trying to kill us, or didn't you notice that we had C-4 inside a submarine," Mac stated, sarcastically.

"So...how you gonna pick?" Hurley questioned.

"I'm not going to pick, Hugo. I want you to have the one thing that I was never given-a choice," Jacob answered.

"And if none of us chooses it?" Kate questioned.

"Then this ends very badly," Jacob answered truthfully.

I'll do it... This is why I'm here. This is... this is what I'm supposed to do," Jack answered.

"Jack?" Mac questioned as she turned and looked at him.

"Is that a question, Jack?" Jacob asked.

"No," Jack answered.

"Good... Then it's time," Jacob answered.

Mac walked with the kids, Hurley, Kate and Sawyer.

"And I thought that guy had a God complex before," Sawyer stated.

"James," Kate warned.

"Yeah, I know," Sawyer answered humbled.

"I'm just glad it's not me," Hurley answered.

"Do you remember that bamboo field you woke up in when you first got here?" Jacob asked Jack.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Beyond that field, across the ridge, is the heart of the island. That's where the light is... That's where he's trying to go. And that's what you have to protect," Jacob instructed.

"Past the bamboo? There's nothing out there," Jack answered.

"Yes, there is, Jack. And now you'll be able to get there... Do you have a cup?" Jacob questioned.

"Yeah, yeah, actually I do," he answered as he grabbed the cup out of his bag.

"Jack wait," Mac called out from her viewing spot. "Are you sure?"

Jack nodded as he looked up at her. "I'm sure," he answered.

Jacob chanted in Latin. "Nam non accipimus hoc quasi vulgarem potionem, sed ut ille sit quasi unus mecum". He washed his hand in the stream and handed Jack the water in the cup.]

"Drink this," he instructed.

"How long am I gonna have to do this job?" Jack questioned.

"As long as you can," Jacob answered as Jack drank all the water from the cup.

"Now, you're like me," Jacob told Jack.

_The police van comes to a stop, and the rear door is opened by a female office._

"_Who's Hume?" she questioned. _

"_That's me," Desmond told her. _

"_Where's your friend with my money? Otherwise I'm gonna have to say I shot all of you trying to escape," the Spanish officer informed him. _

"_Don't worry, he'll be here," Desmond assured her. _

_Ana Lucia removed Desmond's handcuffs and he gets out of the van - a yellow Hummer arrives. _

"_All right here he comes," Desmond told her as Kate jumped out of the van, and Hurley and Mac got out of the hummer. _

"_Sorry I'm late, dude," Hurley told him. _

"_Don't worry about it," Desmond assured them. _

"_You again?" Ana Lucia questioned as she looked at Mac. "Are you following me?"_

_Mac shook her head. "No," Mac answered. "I'm just helping some friends," she said as Libby pulled up in a vehicle and Sayid got out changing places with her._

"_Anyways, here's your money. A hundred twenty-five grand, right?" Hurley asked Ana Lucia. _

"_Yeah, that's right," she answered as she looked at Mac. "I'm not going to see you again tomorrow am I?" _

"_I plan to have moved on tomorrow," she answered as she went back to car with Libby. "If you want to see us again, you'll know where to find us," she added._

"_I brought you my Camaro. The keys are under the floor mat. Everything else you need's in the trunk," Hurley told Desmond._

"_All right, good... Um, you know where you're taking them, yeah?" Desmond questioned Hurley. _

"_Absolutely," Hurley answered. _

"_All right, well, we should get going," Desmond stated. "You're with me," he told Kate._

"_What do you mean, I'm with you?" Kate questioned._

"_We... are going to a concert," he told her as he handed her a black dress. "Let's go."_

Jack stood out in the water; Hurley, Mac, Emma, Zach, Kate and Sawyer looked up at him.

"You okay?" Sawyer called out to him.

"Yeah. You?" Jack asked

"Well, to be honest, Doc, I'm kinda wondering what the hell just happened up here," Sawyer told him

"That makes two of us," Jack agreed.

"We all want to know what's going on Jack," Mac told him.

"So, you're the new Jacob, huh?" Sawyer questioned.

Jack nodded.

"Feel any different?" Sawyer questioned.

"Not really," Jack acknowledged.

"Well, Doc, how about you come down off the mountaintop and tell us what the hell the burning bush had to say for itself?" he told him.


	68. Chapter 68

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 68**

**Authors note: I just changed Sayid to Nathan to remember Shannon. I couldn't think of any other way to do it. Of course there was the whole matter of Libby and Mac never having met Boone, but hope this makes sense.**

Jack joined the group around the campfire. "Jacob told me that we have to go to the bamboo forest out past our old camp. Just past it, well, said I'd find the place we need to protect."

"This place, what is it?" Kate questioned.

"He called it the heart of the island. All he said was that it's...it's a light," Jack explained.

"And that Locke Smoke Thing wants to put it out?" Hurley questioned.

"Something like that, yeah," he responded.

"So, what if he does?" Hurley asked.

"Then that's it for all of us," Jack responded.

"But, if Locke wants to put it out, then why hasn't he?" Kate asked.

"Because he can't, Desmond is still alive," Mac answered.

"Excactly, 'cause he ain't got what he needs. I'm guessing that'd be Desmond... That's where we were headed before your inauguration. Sayid said Locke tossed him in a well," Sawyer told them.

"Jacob didn't say anything to me about Desmond," Jack told them.

"Doesn't sound like he said anything about anything," Sawyer stated.

"That's kinda of true, dude. He's worse than Yoda," Hurley admitted.

"All right. Y'all head to your heart of the island and I'll go get the magic leprechaun out of that well," Sawyer told them.

"If I leave a trail, can you catch up with us?" Jack asked.

"Hell, yeah I can," he answered.

"Then be safe," Jack told him.

"Hurley, watch the kids. You don't get to go out there alone, Sawyer, I'm going with you," Mac told him.

"Like hell you are, I was just going to tell Kate that she can't follow me," Sawyer told her.

Mac looked at him. "I know exactly where the well is, Sawyer. We're not having an argument about this, I'm coming with you because like hell am I going to let you go alone. Understood?"

"Understood," Sawyer replied

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Hurley responded.

"I don't exactly feel good about it either, just keep the kids close," she told Hurley as she started to walk with Sawyer.

"I didn't think you cared," Sawyer told her as they walked.

"We lost enough people today didn't we Sawyer? We both know that being alone on this island is far more dangerous than being together," Mac pointed out. "You did tell me that my son just got a godfather right?"

"Yeah," he answered.

"So, let's make sure we both make it off this island, Sawyer," Mac told him.

"What you said to Jacob about everyone still being alive if he hadn't brought us to this Godforsaken island, you were right, but there was something else you didn't think about," he told her as they walked.

"What?" she questioned.

"If he never brought us here, you would have never met Sayid, I would have never met Juliet," he concluded.

"We would have met them. I had already met Sayid, not formally. My unit was the unit that captured Sayid in Iraq, didn't know that did you?" Mac questioned.

"No…" Sawyer answered.

"Our paths had crossed, and we didn't make the connection then Sawyer, but at some point they would have, because we were supposed to be together. Just like Juliet and you," she told him. "Look," Mac whispered, as she grabbed his arm and pulled him behind a tree.

"What is he doing?" Sawyer questioned as he spied on Locke as he wound a rope.

Mac took a breath as she felt a gun in her back. "Move it James, or I'll kill her," Ben told him. As long as you're watching, why don't you join us?"

"I thought you had made amends, Ben, that you finally chose the right team. I should have known better," Mac stated as she walked behind Sawyer.

"What are you doing here, James? Mac, I'm sorry about Sayid," he said.

"You're just sorry that we didn't all die," Mac answered, moving slightly from the gun pressing against her back.

"I heard Desmond fell in the well, so I came to help him get out," Sawyer responded as he looked in the well. "Looks like somebody beat us both to the punch. Oh well."

"Do you know why I'm here?" Locke questioned them.

"I'm guessing you need Desmond to destroy the island," Sawyer explained.

"That's absolutely right," Locke answered. "Of course, I sent Sayid to kill him and he had told me that he had. Mackenzie, you wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

Mac looked at Locke. "No," she answered.

"Then what, Smokey? You going down with the ship? Suicide doesn't seem like your style," Sawyer told him, as he looked at Mac.

"I'm not going down with anything. But _you_ and the rest of Jacob's little "candidates", absolutely are," Locke told him.

"We're not candidates anymore," Sawyer told him as he gave Mac a small nod and she moved quickly out of the way as he elbowed Ben in the face and took the rifle. "Go," he told Mac. "I'll be seein' ya."

_Libby looked at Mac as they pulled up at the basketball court. "You still thinking about not able to get Ana to remember?"_

_Mac nodded. "I guess I feel as if she SHOULD be with us, but I saw it in her eyes, she wasn't ready."_

"_We still have to get Nathan to the club to meet Shannon," Libby reminded her. "Boone is getting Shannon there."_

"_Funny, we never even met Boone; he was already gone when we joined them, but he's as important to us as everyone else," Mac stated as she watched Nathan walk over to his car to notice that he had a flat tire. "Let me guess, Desmond?"_

"_Actually Eko," Libby answered._

_Mac laughed. "Nice. So we offer him a ride? Say we have a stop?" Mac asked._

"_Or we can run out of gas, haven't decided yet," Libby said as she pulled up next to the car as she rolled down the window. "Looks like you need help." _

"_It was my spare," Nathan answered as he turned and looked at them._

"_Where are you going?" Mac asked._

"_I was supposed to meet a friend at a benefit tonight but I guess that's not happening," Nathan told them._

_Mac looked at Libby as she arched an eyebrow and got out of the car. "I think we can help you. We were heading there ourselves. I'm Mac this is Libby," she introduced._

"_I'm Nathan. You sure it's not a problem?" he questioned._

"_We're all going to the same place, it's not a problem," Libby stated as Mac got in the backseat. _

"_We do have one stop to make to pick up another friend," Mac told him._

"_No problem, thank you I appreciate that. You know the band Drive Shaft is playing there. I mean I don't know if you are familiar with they're music," Nathan stated._

"_Charlie Pace is in the band right? We're a bit familiar with him," Libby answered. "We better be going, we don't want to be late." _

Mac and Sawyer run and meet up with Jack, Kate, Emma, Zach and Hurley.

"Whoa!" Hurley exclaimed.

"Easy, Bigfoot. It's just us...we found Locke. The son of a bitch said he's gonna destroy the island. You had it right, Doc. Good news is, and Desmond got out of that well. So, if we can find him before Smokey can—"Sawyer started to explain.

"It doesn't matter if we find Desmond or he does, James. We're all going to the same place anyway," Jack told them.

"Then what?" Sawyer questioned.

"Then it ends," Jack answered.

Mac climbed the hill with the rest of the group meeting Locke, Ben and Desmond.

"Desmond? How…." Mac questioned as she looked at him.

"I made a deal with the devil to save Rose and Bernard. Don't worry, sister, its ok," he reassured her.

"Well, this is gonna be interesting," Locke told them. "Hello Emma, hello Zach."

"Don't talk to them!" Mac yelled at him as she positioned them behind her. "You tried to kill them!"

Kate takes Sawyer's rifle and cocked it, and started to shoot at Locke.

"Kate! Kate!" Sawyer yelled at her as he tried to get the rifle from her.

"You killed them!" Kate yelled at Locke.

"Kate!" Sawyer yelled.

"You might want to save your bullets," Locke told her as he approached Jack. "So it's you."

"Yeah. It's me," he acknowledged.

"Jacob being who he is, I expected to be a little more surprised. You're sort of the obvious choice, don't you think?" Locke asked him.

"He didn't choose me, I volunteered," Jack told Locke.

"I assume you're here to stop me," he told Jack.

"I can't stop you. In fact, I uh, wanna go with you," Jack offered.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I think you're a little confused about what I came here to do."

"No I'm not. No, you're going to the far side of the bamboo forest, to the place that I've sworn that I'll protect. And then you think you're going to destroy the Island," Jack told him.

Locke looked surprised. "I think?"

Jack smiled at him. "That's right, because that's not what's going to happen," Jack told him.

"Then what's going to happen, Jack?"

"I'm going to kill you," Jack told him.

"How do you plan to do that?" Locke asked curiously.

"That's a surprise," he told him.

"Okay, then let's get on with it," Locke told Jack.

_Mac watched from the back seat as a young guy got beat up outside the club. "Our friend should have been here by now. I don't know what's taking her so long," Mac told Libby._

"_It takes as long as it takes," Libby answered. "Sorry for the hold up," she told Nathan._

"_You two seem very familiar to me," Nathan stated. _

"_It's possible our paths have crossed," Libby answered._

"_It's amazing how many people you come in contact with and never know how important they are in your lives," Mac told him. "If you're lucky, you'll get a chance to meet just a handful of those people, and out of that handful, just a few may make an impact."_

"_May even save your life," Libby answered as she glanced back at Mac as a young blond woman came out of the club._

"_Hey leave my brother alone!" she yelled, the attacker pushed her down. _

_Nathan jumped out of the car and ran over to her and punched the attacker. "Hey it's ok," Nathan told her as he reached for her hand. _

"_Success," Libby commented with a smile as they started kissing._

"_You've been hanging out with Hurley to long. It takes as long as it takes?" Mac asked as she shook her head._

_Boone showed up at the window. "I just got pounded, thanks for taking your sweet time," he said. "Hurley told me there was a change of plans. I'm Boone," the young man introduced himself._

"_Libby," Libby stated as she shook his hand._

"_Mac," she greeted as she shook his hand. "I had a gun held at me to get Sayid to remember me, so getting beat up, not a big deal."_

_Boone laughed. "It was a pain to get her back from Australia."_

"_But it definitely was worth it," Libby stated as she watched Nathan and Shannon kiss._

"_So should we get them?" Boone questioned._

_Mac shook her head. "No, let's give them a few minutes." _


	69. Chapter 69

**Sink Or Swim**

**Chapter 69**

**Author's notes: Thank you to all who have read and reviewed and made Mac a real life Lostie! I cut out a lot of the island part with Jack and Hurley only because Mac wasn't there and this has always been her story. Hurley is the new keeper of the island, as in the show. Please please review!**

Mac walked with the two groups, keeping either hand protectively on the children.

"Something you want to share with the rest of us, Doc?" Sawyer questioned him.

"What's that?" Jack asked him.

"You said you were going to kill Locke. What's your surprise?" Sawyer questioned.

"Desmond," Jack answered.

Mac looked at him. "Desmond?"

"How's that gonna work?" Sawyer questioned.

"I'm not sure yet. I can't believe Jacob would have brought him all the way back to this Island just so Locke could make him destroy it," Jack told them.

"So, what, Desmond is bait?" Sawyer asked.

"No. I think he's a weapon," he answered.

"That's a hell of a long con, Doc," Sawyer responded.

The group stops as the bamboo forest. Locke drew his knife.

"Jack, Desmond. It should just be the three of us from here on," Locke told them.

Jack nodded as Locke holstered his knife. Jack and Desmond start to follow Locke. Hurley and Mac approached Jack.

"Jack, I believe in you, dude," Hurley told him.

Jack nodded as he left with the group.

"Is he going to die?" Zach questioned.

Mac touched his face. "I don't know, Zach, I hope not," she told him as she looked at them as they walked away.

Sawyer offered Kate some water, Kate declined.

"Sawyer," Mac stated as she reached for the water bottle handing it to the kids as Ben's radio started making noises.

"You have a radio?" Mac questioned.

"Linus, are you there?" Miles voice came over the radio.

"What the hell is that?" Sawyer yelled.

"Miles, where are you?" Ben questioned.

"We just got to Hydra Island, we're on our way to the plane," Miles responded.

"Miles, listen to me. Whatever you do, don't blow up that plane!" Ben ordered.

"We're not gonna blow it up, we're gonna fly it the hell off the Island. Just get over here now," Miles responded.

"Son of a….." Mac started to say. "Guess I was wrong about you," she told Ben.

"Again," Ben reminded her.

"So what changed your mind?" Sawyer asked.

"I've always followed Jacob, Jack is the new Jacob. What Locke is doing is wrong," Ben told them.

_Mac got out of the car and smiled at Sayid in front of the benefit hall. "Hey you," she greeted as she kissed him._

"_Hey," he greeted. "Boone," he greeted as he hugged the younger man. "Where's Nathan and Shannon?"_

"_They wanted to spend some time together; we dropped them off at the church. You guys get Charlie?" Libby asked._

"_Hurley carried him inside, he didn't want to come willingly," Sayid told them as he kissed Mac again. _

"_Has Kate remembered?" Mac asked as they walked into the benefit together._

"_Not yet,"__ Desmond answered as he met them and he nodded at Claire. "Claire, these are my friends. Mac, Sayid, Libby and Boone."_

_Mac smiled as she sat down. "You look like your due any minute. A boy right?"_

_Claire laughed. "Desmond told me that when we got off our flight that it was a boy, when I went to the doctor he confirmed it."_

"_Flight 815 right?" Libby questioned._

"_Yeah…you were all on it?" Claire asked._

"_Small world," Mac answered with a smile. "I bet he's going to be a handsome little boy who has everyone he meets eating off the palm of his hand. Do you have a name yet?"_

"_Aaron, I think," Claire answered._

"_That's a good name," Sayid stated with a smile._

_Claire stood. "I'm sorry but I have to go to the bathroom," she said as she excused herself._

_Sayid saw Kate follow her. "She's going to deliver the baby as she did on the island, that's how they are going to remember."_

_Desmond nodded. "It won't be long now."_

Mac looked up as a thunderstorm and a series of earthquakes hit the island.

"Hugo, get out the way!" Ben yelled as he pushed Hurley out of the way of a tree being pinned by the tree himself.

"Ohh!" Ben yelled.

"Stay right here!" Mac yelled at the kids as she ran over to help.

"We're gonna get you out of here, all right?" Kate told Ben.

Hurley, Kate and Sawyer attempt to free Ben.

"It's too damn heavy, there's no way we're getting it off him," Sawyer told them.

"We have to try!" Hurley informed them.

"One...two...three!" Kate counted as another earthquake happened, the tree moving.

Mac pulled him free. "You ok?"

Ben nodded. "I never thought I'd be saying thank you for saving my life."

"I never thought I'd be saving your life again," Mac told him.

"What is happening?" Kate questioned.

"I'll tell you what's happening! Locke was right! This Island's going down!" Sawyer yelled at them.

The walkie talkie sounded. "Linus, come in! Linus, come in! Linus, come in! Come in!"

"Miles. Is that you?" Kate questioned as she answered it.

"Yeah. What the hell is happening?" Miles questioned.

"Are you with Claire?" Kate questioned.

"She's here, but she doesn't want to come with us," he responded.

"Come with you where?" Kate demanded to know.

"Lapidus is working on the plane right now. Then we're taking off... Hey, how much longer 'til we get this thing in the air?" Miles questioned Frank.

"Frank's alive…." Mac stated being relieved.

"I still have to check the electrical and the hydraulics. Five hours, maybe six," Frank reported.

"You've got maybe one," Richard told them.

"Get your asses over here! We're leaving in an hour!" Miles ordered.

"Son of a bitch! How the hell are we supposed to get over there?" Sawyer questioned.

"I know how we can get there! Locke has a boat," Ben told them.

"Desmond's boat, the one you stole when you held us hostage?" Mac questioned.

"Thought we were all past that," Ben stated as Mac helped him up.

"I forgive, I don't forget," Mac told him. "We have to find Jack."

_Desmond nodded at them. "Go on, we'll meet you at the church. Sawyer and Juliet should be remembering each other right about now."_

_Mac hugged Desmond. "See you there brother," Mac stated as she joined Sayid and started to go to the church._

"_Mac…." She heard a voice call outside._

"_Ana? Libby!" she called as she walked over. "Do you remember?"_

_Ana nodded. "I started having flashes after you came to see me at the diner, but today, I remembered. You are one persistent person."_

"_That's why you loved me," Mac said with a grin._

"_Come on, we need to get to the church," Libby told them. "Jack should be going there to bury his dad soon."_

Mac, Kate, Hurley, Ben, Emma and Zach come up Jack and Locke trade blows, with Locke finally stabbed Jack in his side; he then held the knife over Jack's throat as he tried to kill him.

"I want you to know Jack, you died for nothing!" Locke yelled as a gunshot rang out and hit Locke in the back.

"I saved you a bullet!" Kate yelled as another tremor shook the island.

"You're too late," Locke told them. The tremor stopped and Locke looked to realize that his plan has failed, and Jack kicked Locke off the cliff side, killing him as he hits the rocks below.

Ben turned on the walkie talkie. "Frank, how's it going over there? What's your timetable?"

"Don't bother me!" Frank yelled as he turned his side of the walkie talkie off.

"Sounds like they're making progress," Ben announced.

The ground shook violently again.

"I thought this was over!" Mac yelled, as she held onto the kids.

"We gotta go now," Sawyer told the group.

"I don't understand. Locke's dead, why is this still happening?" Kate questioned.

"Because whatever Desmond turned off...I need to turn it back on again. But if it doesn't work, if I don't get it done you all need to leave now. You need to get on that plane," Jack told them.

"You can come with us too, Jack. You don't have to do this," Kate pleaded with him.

"No I do have to do this," Jack told her.

"No, you don't! Let the Island sink, Jack," Kate pleaded.

"Kate...I can't," he answered as he looked at Sawyer. "You think you can get that boat across the channel in time?"

"Yeah, I can manage," Sawyer told him.

Jack gets up and shakes Sawyer's hand. "Good luck to you, James."

"Thanks, doc...for everything," Sawyer told him.

"Mac, get those kids home to their mother. And tell your son his father was the bravest man I knew," Jack said as he hugged her.

"Thank you," Mac whispered as she hugged him back.

"James!" Ben yelled as he threw the walkie-talkie to him. "If the Island's going down, I'm going down with it."

"Hugo, you better get going," Jack told Hurley.

"Uh-uh, no way. You think I'm going down that? I'm with you, dude," Hurley told him.

"Okay. Kate...you gotta go. Get Claire on that plane," Jack told her.

"Tell me I'm going to see you again," Kate pleaded with him as Jack shook his head and they kiss each other. "I love you."

"I love you," Jack stated before Jack, Hurley and Ben left while Kate cried.

Mac put an arm around her. "We have to go! You'll see him again. Maybe not in this life, but you'll be reunited. Claire needs you! You're the only one that can get her on that plane. For her son!"

Sawyer hit the walkie-talkie. "Yo Chesty," he said into it.

"Yeah?" Richard answered from the other end.

"We're on our way down to the sailboat then we're heading to you...don't leave without us," Sawyer responded.

Frank grabbed the walkie talkie. "We're getting off the ground while there's still ground to get off. So if you wanna go you better get your asses in gear."

"Lapidus! Lapidus! Son of a bitch"

"What now?" Mac questioned.

Sawyer looked to the sailboat and tossed the backpack away. "We jump," he said as he grabbed Zach's hand. "Hold on tight buckerroo. You got her?" Sawyer asked Mac as he nodded to Emma.

"I got her," Mac assured him as she took Emma's hand.

"I'll see you at the boat!" Kate said as she jumped off the ledge.

"Kate!" Sawyer yelled as he jumped with Zach.

Mac took a breath. "Ready?"

"Ready…" Emma answered as they jumped and swam to the boat. Sawyer helped them in.

On Hydra Island, Kate, Mac, Emma, Zach and Sawyer arrive on the beach. "Claire?"

The ground shook again and Sawyer noticed a piece of the main Island break away and fall into the water. "Oh, that ain't good."

Mac jumped off the boat and helped the kids. "Run to the plane! I'll be right behind you!" she ordered.

"Claire! Are you okay?" Kate yelled at her.

"The plane!" Mac yelled as it began to reverse.

"Come on, we gotta go! Come on!" Sawyer yelled.

"Claire, come on please!" Kate begged.

"I can't!" Claire answered with tears in her eyes.

"Why?" Kate questioned.

"Look at me! This Island's made me crazy, I-I don't want Aaron to see me like this. I don't even know how to be a mother anymore," Claire answered.

"Listen to me, none of us do. Not at first. But you're not alone. Let me help you, let Mac help you. Come on, let's go," Kate yelled as she pulled her arm.

Emma turns. "They aren't stopping! The plane it isn't stopping!" she yelled as she pointed.

"Sawyer! Tell him to stop! Tell him we're coming!" Kate yelled at Sawyer.

"Lapidus! Lapidus! Lapidus, hold on!" Sawyer yelled on the walkie talkie, it being evident that Frank doesn't hear him.

"No, you got to be kidding me!" Mac yelled waving her hands.

Richard and Miles buckle up in the cockpit. Frank prepareed to take off, but he noticed Sawyer, Kate and Claire on the runway.

"What the hell? Boys we got some late arrivals, open the door. Come on!" Frank ordered.

Inside the cave - Jack made it to his feet. He struggled to pick up the stone and slowly drags it to the hole. He pushes the stone into the hole and collapses with exhaustion. Over on Hydra Island, Miles opens the door to the plane and throws some wires out. Claire, Mac, Emma, Zach, Kate and Sawyer climb onto the plane.

"We're running out of time!" Frank yelled.

"Way to wait until the last second, Jim," Miles told them

"Good to see you too, Enos," James said as he sat down.

"We got 'em!" Richard yelled.

"Everybody buckle up tight! Hold on!"

Frank prepared the plane for takeoff. Outside, the runway begins to crack under the plane.

"Here we go," Frank told them. Mac sat in the middle seat between the kids and held their hands.

Frank accelerated and the plane begins to rocket along the runway. The passengers look nervous. Claire holds onto Kate's hand as Frank attempted to lift the plane into the air. "Come on. Come on."

The plane narrowly clears the tops of the trees and takes to the skies. Frank and the rest of the passengers give sighs of relief. "Amen."

_Mac hugged Desmond and Penny in the church and smiled as Jack came out from the back room. _

"_We've been waiting for you Jack," Locke told him._

_Jack greets Desmond and Penny, shaking Desmond's hand. He hugs Boone. On the Island, he stumbles through the bamboo forest, passing the white tennis shoe that once belonged to his father's corpse, now worn and dirty after 3 years exposed to the weather. At the church, he hugs Hurley. Claire, Charlie, Sun, Mac, and Sayid all gather around Aaron. Jack greets Sawyer before noticing Kate, and she holds his hand as they sit down in the pews. On the Island, Jack comes to the spot where he woke up from the crash and collapses to the ground, still clutching at his wound. At the church, everyone else sits down. Christian puts his hand on Jack's shoulder as he passes by. On the Island, Jack is laying on his back on the ground when he hears a dog bark - it's Vincent. Vincent greets him and then lays beside him. At the church, Christian walks down the aisle and opens the doors, leaving and letting a bright white light fill the room. Everyone gazes at their surroundings, Jack and Kate share a glance. On the Island, a dying Jack witnesses the Ajira plane fly over head. He smiles, knowing he isn't going to die for nothing. At the church, Jack is swallowed by the white light. On the Island, Jack's eye closes. He is gone. _

The END


End file.
